Blog Post #10

        I found Morgan Bayda’s post to be very true. While she is not as drastic as Dan Brown was in his video I completely get the point. The video was my favorite part of her post because he is very enthusiastic about having his voice heard. What Dan talks about is also very true. We pay thousands of dollars for an education but much of the information we learn can be found online without a price. I go to class on a daily basis not because I want to sit through an hour long lecture but because it is required to get me the degree I need. What I get out of the hour long lecture PLUS more I could find online in a matter of seconds (same is true with expensive textbooks). While I do not plan to drop out of school I understand his perspective and reasoning.

        When I read the title of “Don’t Let the Take Pencils Home” I assumed it was going to mean to let them do work through technology rather than pencil and paper. I was wrong but I like the message in this post. A positive teacher can change the world for a child. So many children are discouraged by a negative teacher that sometimes they feel as if they can’t do anything right. When children are encourage their imagination and creativity shines through and often greater work is completed. If a smile can change someone’s day a positive teacher can change the world.

        My sentence: I will make myself a better person through positively impacting the life of others through leadership, service and encouragement.

Short Movie Project

Blog Post #9

     In Mr. McClung’s post he talks about things he learned in his first year of teaching. It is obvious through this post that he is a very dedicated teacher who truly cares about his students and their success. Even though he teaches at a young grade level he recognizes the importance that the skills and life lessons that he teaches. In his post he talks about many different things he has learned: read the crowd, be flexible, communicate, be reasonable, don’t be afraid of technology, listen to your students, and never stop learning (all of which are his titles).
     To read the crowd means to actually pay attention to the students needs. This is something that many teachers tend to forget because of all the requirements that they must meet. They must get to a certain point in the curriculum, pass certain tests, and be ready for assessments. While all of these goals are great it makes many people lose sight of what is truly important in a classroom-learning. Students are missing out on important information because of the mandatory testing and simple memorization of answers for those tests, they cram these answers then when the test is over they forget all the information.
     Being flexible is something that many of us forget. Life changes on a day to day basis, especially when you are dealing with multiple people (students). This is true in any workplace. To walk in with an expectation of what is going to happen that day is a good idea, but if you get disappointed when something goes wrong it can screw up your whole day. Currently I work in a restaurant; it’s an environment where you cannot let people know what really gets to you. If one table bothers you or is disrespectful, etc it can ruin your whole day if you let it bother you. Sometimes you just have to take a breath, clear your mind and choose a new route.
     Communication is key for success in life in general-inside and outside the classroom. One can never be afraid to ask for help or advice. A new teacher may not know everything they need to make it through but there are teachers who have been around the block that can help out. Venting is also part of communication; if you share your problems with someone else you often feel better and may even find a solution to the problem.
     Being reasonable is another thing that is needed in life as a whole. If we expect everyone to be perfect then we will be disappointed every time. As a teacher the last thing we should want is to see our students fail and be discouraged. Everyone has their day when stuff doesn’t go their way, everyone will fail a test, forget their homework, or break a rule but if we call the student out on it and bring them down they may get discouraged and feel like they are worthless. Everyone has to fall at some point but we must be ready to pick them back up, not kick them when they are down. The same rules apply for us, when we miss a goal we cannot beat our self up but instead we need to move on and not make the same mistake.
     Technology, technology, technology….it’s a major part of the world around us, and it’s still growing. Mr. McClung makes a good point when he says many adults are terrified of technology-my mother for example. Without technology in today’s world we will never survive in the classroom and our students will quickly pass us up. We cannot be afraid to press a button, to search what we don’t know and to implement technology into the modern classroom.
     Listening to our students, we all do this right? How many times do we overlook what a student says to us because it seems unimportant? To ignore our students is to fail them. I like that the student in Mr. McClung’s class pointed this out. As a young student they already realized that if they are listened to they feel important. Students tell us so many things that could be important. They may be struggling with the lessons, they may be having problems at home, they may be trying to warn us of danger, or they may simply just need someone to care about them.
     Finally the last thing that Mr. McClung writes about is to never stop learning. We cannot afford to stop learning. If we are teaching the children of tomorrow we must continue to learn throughout the course of our life. We need to teach our children this also. School and life is not about what you can learn out of a book but about the necessities to survive In society, to be informed. Technology is constantly changing (we need to know how to use it), science is constantly in motion (new medical advances and changes in structure will change in textbooks), politics and world events change (our leadership and success as a country). When we walk across the stage and get our diplomas we still have a lot of learning left to do.

     I liked Mr. McClung’s and I have written a lot of it combined with my experiences and thoughts above. What he learned in his first year of teaching is a lot of things that are helpful inside and outside of the classroom. Also much of what Mr. McClung learned applies to both students and teachers (and in other work environments this is still applicable). Mr. McClung’s dedication to teaching and learning is inspiring to me and I believe it will be inspiring to many others who read his post. I would love to be a student in Mr. McClung's class. 

TimeToast 9b - Day in History

Podcast

Blog Post #8

This Is How We Dream

     I think everyone today writes using multimedia. I cannot remember the last time I turned in a hand-written paper. Word processing took the forefront when I was in high school and for teachers it made grading papers a lot easier. Even papers that were written in class were completed using small typing centers that could be connected to a computer and then printed. Libraries and books are barely used anymore, as stated in the video, because of internet at the fingertips. The possibilities that the computer has given us are endless.
     When I was a young child we did not have a computer in our home until I was in the third grade and I can still remember it being a privilege to get to use it. Computers were meant for adults only, for real work and businesses. In the United States today it seems that children have their own computers when they are very young- they can use these to keep in contact with their friends, complete assignments and even play games. Children that are being raised around computers have better understanding of what can be done using computers (which is why it is important that I catch up…NOW).
     The internet provides information on any topics in an organized way in seconds. Information that is contained in the books at the library can be found online with just a few clicks but also new information is constantly being added. Newspapers and journals often post articles online making it possible for me to go online in the morning and find the scores from last night’s game and important information. Writing using multimedia is all around us.

Chipper and EDM310 for Dummies

     I like the video between Chipper and Dr. Strange. This video reminds me of so many students I was in high school with (and those that I have in the classes I sub for). Everyone has excuses and their own agenda but many do not think about the consequences or the requirements involved.
     The video about EDM310 for Dummies was funny. I liked the humor that was involved even though the video was serious. I have not had the issues that the students in the video had with the class but I can see how it is completely possible.

Blog Post #7

     At the beginning of Randy Pausch’s lecture he begins by talking about his current condition and says that he will not be talking about that during the lecture. Pausch speaks about his childhood dreams and what it took to reach each of them, he talks about how he has taught different students, and finally he gives credit to those who helped him along the way.  
     Pausch wanted to defy gravity so he did. He worked on a project and broke down the brick wall to be able to participate in the “vomit comet”. This was the first time Pausch brings up the quote “brick walls make us prove how badly we want something.” Next Pausch speaks about wanting to play in the NFL; though he never reached this dream he did play football and learned a lot from his coaches. He teaches us that critics are the ones that care and the football isn’t the most important part of the game. From the football experience he teaches us that “experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.” Pausch also tells us about his dream to be in the encyclopedia, be Captain Kirk, be a Disney Imagineer, and to win the big stuffed animals at the amusement parks.
     Pausch speaks about the difficulties that he had to reach every goal that he had set for himself. He tells us about the different people that helped him along the way and the ways that the goals were met. When he set his goals he wasn’t sure how, or if he would achieve them but many were achieved through a series of events that were perfectly aligned to make his dreams come true.
     In the last part of the lecture he gives credit to the people that helped him in life. He thanks his parents for giving him the freedom and support to do the things he wanted (like painting his bedroom) and he gives thanks to those who helped him in this career. Andy van Dam is someone that he obviously respects. Andy was the one who helped him get into Carnegie and taught him to never get up on something he wanted. Pausch teaches us to respect authority, to helps others and to remember that loyalty is a two-way street. If you can bring something to the table it makes you valuable and people remember what you do. We are also taught to find the best in everybody and to be prepared for anything, get feedback and pay attention to it, and finally to have FUN in everything we do.
     Having fun is very valuable. In the beginning of the lecture he makes it clear that his condition does not keep him from going through life normally. Pausch pokes fun at himself throughout the whole lecture. He shows us that we can teach people through “head fakes” and have fun while doing it.

     I really enjoyed watching this lecture, even though it was a long video. Pausch makes the lecture fun and keeps people’s attention by sharing his experiences. Being able to look at oneself and talk about how they did something and even admit when they were wrong takes a lot of effort. At the very end I really liked that he acknowledged his wife’s birthday and took the time to celebrate, showing that its not all about him. Finally the last line made me think about the whole lecture in a different perspective- when he said the video was for his kids. He talked about his parents and his whole life- something that his kids can cherish even after he is gone. The “Last Lecture” truly is a good lecture to be the last.

Additional Assignment #2

     I think anyone is capable of teaching themselves. We do this all the time, just not on the scale that this video shows. If I don’t know the answer to something and I need it, I will find it- that’s teaching myself. Motivation does play a big part in this as well as how important the answer I am looking for is. If someone encourages me or gives me a reason to do something I will probably try harder that I do when I’m alone. I don’t think there are any certain conditions that are necessary for someone to teach themselves- you can learn based on the resources that you are provided with or make your own. A computer with internet access absolutely helps but if someone was truly passionate about something and was motivated to learn it, they could probably find means of figuring it out. Computers and internet access puts everything at a child’s fingertips and makes searching and finding answers much simpler. Giving a child a computer and a question will result in an answer-they can translate and search the required information to answer the question. Motivating someone to learn plays off the person’s interests; if you can find something that the child is interested in then they will be more enthusiastic about learning. I teach myself daily to do new things. When I go to work I do not know what is going to happen that night and I don’t have all the answers but with guidance from other employees, customers and the computer system I can have a successful night. Teachers are important, even in a computer based environment, because they provide the support and guidance to make an individual not give up when they struggle. When I watched the video about How Kids Teach Themselves it pulled emotions about me wanting to be a teacher and the thought of a computer that does the same thing. It made me wonder why am I doing this if a computer can do it? I have always wanted to be a teacher, to help others and to watch children develop. I like the concept of computers in education but I do not think that computers should completely teach children. It makes me feel as if teachers are not valued. As a teacher is my purpose to actually TEACH or am I going to become a babysitter in a computer filled classroom? I think computers and technology are great…but only in moderation. 

Family Timeline

PLN Progress

I am using Symbaloo to organize my PLN. So far my PLN includes:
Yahoo mail – my personal email
Google – my most used search engine
Gmail – email used for this class
Blogspot – easy access to my blog
Facebook – probably the most used website
Craigslist – for scrolling through ads
Hotschedules – scheduling for work
Subfinder – scheduling for substitutes
PAWS – access student email
USA Online – access to grades and class information
Money Network – pay card
Wachovia and Regions – accounts

C4T #2 Summary

     The teacher I have been commenting on for the last few weeks goes by the name dragonsinger. She is a teacher and a mother from New Zealand.
     In the first post that I commented on she spoke about an earthquake that had hit the area where her family had lived. She talked about how the news traveled quickly due to the media and how many that she had been close to were able to be contacted.
     In the second post she had an outline of the conference she had been to. She listed the different workshops that she attended and the different speakers for the keynote sessions. This post is still in progress as she adds new links for the different topics and people. She seemed to have a great time at the conference and spoke about the give-aways and freebies that she got.

C4K Summary

     The last two weeks I have read and commented on Kirsten's blog. The first week I read about her in her "About Me" blog. This post was fairly simple but described her. She talked about the sports she liked, her family, and her school life. In the second post I read, her "Manifesto" she talked about doing well in school and getting enough sleep at night. Kirsten's blog is very well done and she seems to truly care about having a say in her classes and learning through blogging.

Blog Post #6

The Networked Student

     This video was made very simply but made great points. It is a never ending search for information. Many students use the internet more than a textbook even if a textbook is given for the course. The connections that can be made with other people to discuss the topics are also great for the learning process. This makes students feel that they actually have a say in the class rather than just memorizing information. The teacher is mainly there to help the student make the proper choices in which sites to trust. In my personal opinion I would hope that the teacher would also actually teach some and not just let the computer do the work.

A 7th Grader’s Personal Learning Environment

     I like this video and how she seemed excited to show what she had created. The video is very informative about the different options she has to store information and about the projects that she used them for. I enjoyed seeing what she had done rather than just showing the buttons to click. The paperless classroom is something I think a lot of students would enjoy. I like having paper copies of some information but on some stuff I would rather see it on a computer in an organized fashion. Not having to take a pencil to class everyday would also save a lot of time in class for the children who don’t have one.

The Machine Is Changing Us

     This video is so true. The world is changing and a lot of it is influenced by internet and TV (media). Almost everyone has a cell phone now, many of which can connect to the internet anywhere. I love my phone and without it I would not know a lot of the information I do. My phone is how I connect and keep up with people throughout the day. Children are starting to own phones at a younger and younger age. When I was 8 years old a cell phone was out of the question and having a computer with dial up internet was simply awesome. I like this change though- I like the quickness of knowing what is going on around the world.