Blog Post #16

Blog Post 5 Part B

In the beginning of this class, I was not familiar with how a PLN should work. To start with, I made a Twitter. I now have found several other students and teachers with my same interests. For example, Dr. Vitulli taught my class how Twitter can be used to connect one with so many others. Then, I learned how to begin building my PLN. Blogging has actually become very fun for me now. I think after this class I will continue to blog. Some examples of PLN I use are Pinterest, Facebook, and Blogger. Of course with all of these networks, one is able to connect to others with similar interests and a lot of times a common goal. When I use Pinterest, I share my ideas for projects, quotes, and teaching projects. I follow others that post things I like as well. Facebook has become an easy way to communicate with family and friends across the world. My sister is currently living in Alaska. The distance makes it hard to communicate but with technology we are able to talk everyday. Of course these are common PLN, there are many more resources to cater everyone's need. I am very glad I learned more about how to use PLN and how to find more PLN.

C4K POST

1. Ms. Horst's 5-1 Class- Destiny made a blog post about "So You think You Can Dance?" I asked her if she danced and told her about my dancing history. Destiny said she really enjoyed the show.

2. Mrs. Meyer's Art Class- John posted a picture of his print making. I told John that I also worked on print making in one of my elementary education courses. I told John that his prints turned out way better than mine!

 

Blog Post #14

Teaching Can Be a Profession by Joel Klein 

-Better academic training for prospective teachers 

Almost half of the states cannot claim a math program that prepares the student like some of the programs in the higher performing nations. 

I definitely agree with this statement. I struggle with math problems constantly. I have the fear of not being able to teach math adequately to my students. 

-New approach to recruiting teachers

This would change things so that not everyone with a college degree should be allowed to teach, only the top third of graduates.

Again, I agree. Teachers should be expected to reach higher levels of intellect and have qualities of adapting to learning more. 

-Change how teachers are rewarded

This would make it to where keeping a job would be related to competency and not seniority.

Clearly, this statement holds a lot of truth. Teachers should be rewarded on how well their students perform instead of how long one has been tenure. 

-"Teachers establish their own board to police the profession"

Teachers would set the standard for removing incompetent teachers. "Merit-based career ladder" would create promotion based on specialty exams. 

I think teachers should set the system for the exams. The example of how a professional teacher should perform. 

-Demonstrate mastery before having college graduates be aides 

I could not agree more. In order to teach a college student teacher to be a great teacher, one should show professionalism and a master in skills. 

-"Teachers would abandon their support for mandatory assignment of kids to neighborhood school" 

I feel that this would give more choice for how the school system could become more unified in an area. 

Blog Post #13

What was left out?

For this assignment as students we are to suggest what we feel was left out of the blog posts this semester. Based off of my interest as an elementary education major, I feel that we should question how project based learning benefits students. I am very interested in how students learning has changed in harder subjects such as science. Unfortunately, students do not get as excited about learning science, but as a teacher I really hope to change this outlook. So the question is....

How does project based learning affect students' learning? Are they performing better?

Below are resources:

Can PBL Close Gaps in Science Education?

What Research Says About PBL

After reading both these sources, and if you research more, do you feel that project based learning helps students?  Why or why not?

The first resource I read how to deal with science education. This is a great subject to use project based learning. Students can be engaged with the activity while having fun. Researchers found the students performed 8% better with project based learning than in a traditional classroom. The second source also stated that students had a more positive attitude towards math. I feel like project based learning, when done correctly, can be beneficial for students in these subjects. One reason I feel this way, besides the research, is because I haven seen students get excited about projects. For example, in a classroom I sat in on the students were asked to draw a scene from the book that the class read then write how the people felt in the scene. I feel like this let the students step out of their own minds and critically think. Students should be encouraged to think more instead of having to come up with a definite answer. I plan on using project based learning in my classroom after seeing that it benefits students. 

Project 12 Part B

C4T

This week I choose to comment on Darren Fix' blog about science. The video about which ice cube would melt faster on which plate was great to watch. This would be a wonderful experiment for students to try in the classroom. It is cheap, quick, and creates critical thinking. I comment on Mr. Fix's blog explaining that I found this video to be quick and agreed that this was a great way to create critical thinking. Below I have posted a link to Mr. Fix's blog so all can watch the different melting rates. Enjoy like I did!

Melting Rates

For this week, I commented on Josh Stumpenhorst's blog. He made a blog post about teachers pushing back. Mr. Stumpenhorst explains pushing back further. Teachers should always consider what is best for the students, since they are the ones working with students daily. Later, Mr. Stumpenhorst gives more details by stating that there are certain ways to push back. One should be professional and clear about the problem at hand. I could not agree more with Mr. Stumpenhorst. I believe it is easy to be complacent but one should think critically about what is best for the students. This post really made me think not only about my future career but also in my daily life.

C4T #3

I was assigned to arvind s grover's blog. Mr. grover does keep his name in lowcases, which I think is very unique. He posted a video about Photomath app. This was a very short, but informative video. After watching the video, I found out that Photomath is a scanning app that solves problems for the student. It has major pros and cons. Like Mr. grover stated, the most this app can come to critically thinking is by giving the students an assignment to come up with their own useful app. I thanked him for sharing this video showing how simple the app is to use. After my comment, he wrote back that he is torn about the app but would like to think of what good it could bring. Below, I found another video I would like to share about Photomath.

Blog Post #12

In my group we came up with different examples on how assistive technologies can be used in the classroom.

Assistive Technology Google Slides
Assistive Learning Videos
Assistive Technology Articles

Project 14 Group 8

For our project, we decided to work with third grade. The students are in groups and must create a presentation telling the class how these weather occurrences are predicted, how they affect the world, and how to prepare for such things. After the projects, students should have an understanding of weather happening around them.
Checklist
Lesson Plan
Calendar 
Rubric

Blog Post #11

First I watched, Back to the Future and it had a really powerful message. You can tell Brian Cosby is extremely passionate about teaching. Mr. Cosby includes students who speak more than one language and helps these students become even better learners. Another thing I enjoyed from this piece is how blogging can really impact a students learning experience. I believe I will use some blogging in my classroom to get the students more connected with the world and also to learn how to become better writers. Mr. Cosby let his students work doing the talking for what they learn. Another thing I learned from this video is how different types of technology can enhance students' learning experiences and give students fresh ways of learning. Next I watched Paul Anderson's Blog Video. Paul Anderson tells the viewer how much fun learning should be and no one is perfect. Mr. Anderson inspires me to not only teach but make sure my students learn. My students should have fun and also learn in the process. The third video, which was really short, Making Thinking Visible ,showed students working in small groups. These small groups decided from the beginning about the project. I feel like collaborative group projects help students learn how to become oriented with working with their peers. The students will see that everyone can have different thoughts and views but the students must work well together and respect each other. Building Comics was a really wonderful video to watch. It showed me a wonderful project idea and also how students can be safe online. As a teacher, we should show students that technology can be a plus but has downfalls. I feel that before students can use technology they should be instructed on the safety measures. Also not all information online is reliable.This project was fun while they learned. The last video I watched, Roosevelt PBL showed how teachers engaged students by using PBL. I love to watch the students get excited about doing these projects. One thing that stood out to me was that these teachers were already getting the ball rolling with public speaking. I wish I would have had a teacher that encouraged me to be brave enough to stand in front of my peers and speak. I eventually got over the fear but it is great to practice these things. These students have so much room to be creative. Another great point to PBL is the collaboration part gives students a skill that will be used throughout life. I learned a lot through these different videos. I can not wait to put these skills to use for my future students.

Blog Post #10

After watching the interview with Mrs. Cassidy, I learned a lot about how she uses technology in her classroom. Through her video, Little Kids...Big Potential, she gives the audience her insight on the best ways to use the technology of the 21st century. She tells the audience about how the use of Skype and Wikis can help her students grow their own personal learning networks. It was also great to see how the children's writing improved from participating in posting blogs. In the next video, Interview with Mrs. Cassidy, Dr. Strange and Mrs. Cassidy discuss how important the usage of technology in the classroom is. I have to agree with this. I know that technology will only keep advancing and as a teacher, we should have an open mind. Mrs. Cassidy makes it clear that one should begin with his or her own interest. For example, if one is interested in sharing videos then YouTube and DiscoveryEd would be great resources. One thing I will use very often as a teacher is the SMARTboard. After completing Project 12, I have learned that the SMARTboard is capable of many fun activities and can be very helpful in the classroom. Another use of technology I will use will be blogging. I feel that this blog has made me a better writer and I have also learned so much about myself. I feel that this will be beneficial for my students because they will be able to improve on their writing skills. Some problems I could have with these techniques is that sometimes technology will not be working. I may have to change my lesson due to students not being able to use the internet. I feel students will like to be able to use technology in the classroom because they will have fun while learning.

Project #12 A

Blog Post #9

Projects in the classroom have all been very similar. Teachers hand out project assignments, a rubric, and then expect the students to enjoy the project and understand. In Seven Essentials for Project-Based Learning, I enjoyed reading the tips on how to effectively promote projects in the classroom. I really enjoyed how the teacher introduced the topic. I feel that the students would be very interested in doing the project. The discussions also led to the students being even more excited about being this project. In the end, the standards were met, the students enjoyed the project, all while learning.
Next, PBL for Teachers  showed me that driving questions can change and invent new outcomes. Also, teachers can engage students in serious questions. Secondly, I watched, What Motivates Students?. One student explained that positive feedback helped motivate him. Awarding students for a good job makes students want to continue to do well. Even in adulthood, everyone likes to be praised. One video title that caught my eye was, Students Solve the Case of the Watery Ketchup. It was amazing watching this video and seeing students solve and invent through project based learning. I can not wait to see what my future students can create. Finally I read PBL and Physical Education. I thought the tips were very interesting and will put them into good use. I really liked how the students were given the opportunity to invent an exercise program for middle school students. These examples of project based learning show how important projects are at any age. I can't wait to involve my students in critical thinking.

Implications and Teaching Opportunities for Camera Use in Teaching and Learning

After reading the statistics, I fall into all these percentages. My phone has become very essential in my daily life. I use my phone for music, social media, an alarm clock, and a variety of other things. Smartphones defiantly help with quick communication. With my sister living in Alaska, it makes it easy to text and call her throughout the day. Another use of my smartphone is for research. I constantly look up questions I may have or looking up the news. As future educators, our students are growing up with access to technology. When I was in school, phones and laptops were not allowed in school. Some uses for technology in the classroom is through the use of Poplet. This will allow students to research. Another way that students can make technology useful is through blogging. However, I do believe there is a time for technology to be used. Technology should be kept and monitored in the elementary school. In daily life as well, smart phones and the use should not be the only thing that a person focuses on during the day.

Blog Post #8

What Can We Learn About Teaching and Learning From Randy Pausch?

After watching Randy Paush's last lecture, I took away a lot of great advice. From the beginning, Randy makes a great point that the cards we are dealt may not be what we had in mind, but it is how one reacts to situations that makes one stronger. Everyone has obstacles but it is by that person's choice on how to overcome. To start with, Randy Paush tells the audience about childhood dreams. When, he was a child he dreamed of being a NFL football player. I remember when I was a child that I loved to dance. My parents paid for lessons and I enjoyed it, but in the long run I got a lot more out of dancing than just learning the moves. I know that as a teacher I would like to not only teach the required lesson material but also the life lessons are important.

Project #9

C4T Post #2

In the first post of the series, I commented on Mrs. Angela Maier's blog. She advocates the "YouMatter" program. I was really inspired by her post and even signed up for her online workshops. The second teacher's blog I posted on was, Mrs. Diane Dahl. A quote she posted on her blog from a book "Five Big Ideas for Effective Teaching", was truly inspirational.

"Thus, the fixed mindset prevents individuals from achieving their potential in life - or even acknowledging what their true potential might be. People with a growth mindset, on the other hand, are more likely to keep trying until they achieve their goals, more confident that they will succeed."  

I posted on Mrs. Dahl's blog stating that she makes wonderful points on how we should all have a growth mindset, not only with children but with adults. I look forward to reading more of her blog posts.

Project #7 Part B

Video for Parents




Video for Students

Project 13 Part 1

Age of the Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution 

This project introduces important people from the Age of Enlightenment and also the Scientific Revolution. Students will be placed into groups. After the groups are selected, each group will create a presentation addressing important facts about the person that has been assigned. The creates will present these to the class then have a handout of the other students to complete. 

Lesson Plan
Calendar
Checklist
Rubric

Blog Post #7

How Do We All Become Learners?

Strengths: experienced use with computers, I pads, camera 

                  Observed technology such as Icurio,  Istation in  Baldwin County Schools
                  Open-minded 

Weaknesses: students are more familiar and adapted to this technology at a younger age

                       Unfamiliar with QR codes
                       Unfamiliar with AVL

These videos have made me more knowledgeable of technology that is used in the elementary school. Also, these videos allow students who are on the way to become an educator, to learn how to use the technology in activities for students. 

In the first video, How to make a QR code, I learned many different uses of QR codes. For one, teachers can use these to record themselves for reading lessons. These videos can be used as a study tool. The teacher can become a virtual tutor at home. I feel this could be beneficial for future classrooms because the students can access these sources at home. Another great point is students can create their own and are learning how to use recent technology. The second video I watched was, iPad Reading Center, this showed students in kindergarten using a resource to help them learn how to become a better reader. Ginger Tuck shows one of her students reading while recording himself. This allows the student to be able to playback the recording and improve on reading skills. In another video with Ginger Tuck, she shows the view about a free app called Poplet. Poplet allows students to make a map of books based on the topic. It keeps searches organized and specific. Ginger Tuck gives teachers very effective step-by-step videos to show teachers sources to use in the classroom. With the resource of Alabama Virtual Library, teachers can allows students to research easily topics on their own while learning how to find information and what to look for. In Ms. Shirley's First Grade class, the class used Discovery Education Board to create a project about the moon. Ms. Shirley even shows views how the board works. It was very simple! Another great example of the use of technology is shown in Mrs. Tassin's 2nd grade class. These students learned  how to use Board Builder to create projects. Finally, in Using iMovie and AVL, Michelle Bennett and Elizabeth Davis share how even kindergartens can use these. Michelle explained how much the students enjoyed using iMovie.  After learning about several different resources, it is extremely important to use these to the students advantage. Elementary students love using tools for learning and as a teacher I will want to encourage them to be a LEARNER. 

                   

Project #8 Book Trailer

Why is Blue Dog Blue?

C4K Summary for September

For the month of September I have been assigned different students blogs across the world. Included in these post are students from across the world. One in Auckland, NZ and another in Canada. I enjoyed communicating with these students because I know it reassures them that people are interested in what thoughts they have. In one fifth grade students blog I commented on, she engaged the question about what a mathematician does. She stated that a mathematician must enjoy math. I commented back asking if she enjoyed math and asked what other subjects she likes. On, Jorja's Blog, she discussed going to a recent Storyline Festival. Here different authors shared their books by reading them to the students. Jorja said if she were to share one of her stories, she would present it in a song. I agreed with her that would be a great approach and asked what kinds of stories the authors shared at Storyline Festival. Another post I commented on Jorja's blog described more about the authors at Storyline Festival. I told Jorja it is great to learn more about the authors to better understand the style and stories they produce. I look forward reading more students blogs.

Blog Post #6

What did I learn from conversations with Anthony Capps?

In the first video, I found it extremely interesting that this third grade class got an opportunity to write to Congress. As a Project Based lesson, this was very beneficial for the students to work on as a class. One way Anthony had the class work together was by picking eight letters the students decided were the best to send to Congress. This allowed Mr. Capps to meet third grade standards while using PBL. In the second video, I learned that allowing students freedom to create and by not limiting their learning experience is rewarding for not only the student, but also as a teacher. Students will be more excited to begin a project if they are passionate and they are encouraged. As a teacher we should set project guidelines but continue to let them be learners. Project Based Learning takes planning for teachers but in the end can be successful. Also, I learned that in planning projects, I should factor in my students opinions and what they enjoy best.
iCurio has not been introduced to me until I started my field experience at Rockwell Elementary School in Baldwin County. I still was able to learn even more through Anthony Capps. iCurio is a safe search engine for students of all ages to use and also teachers. Documents, videos, and graphics the students find are able to be saved for easy access and to be organized. Anthony further elaborated on this, by saying students can go back to sites quickly without wasting time searching again. As a teacher it is helpful because the teacher can organize by lessons and projects to show the class later. It is a great tool and I look forward to being able to use it in my future classroom. Another wonderful search engine is Discovery Ed. I have used Discovery Ed for my own research. It gives great expert videos and there are very many! I think as an educator this will be a great tool to show visually and have someone else explain other than myself. Students can even look up these videos again at home.
Strange Tips for Teachers helped me realize even more that teachers must be willing to always learn. Teaching is a fun experience and very rewarding. Teachers must be able to think outside the box and be prepared for the unexpected. Another factor is to have children engaged.
Another great point I learned from watching, Conversations with Anthony Capps, is that technology a tool. By allowing students to use technology and combine it with other sources, it gives students the ability to express and create while learning new ways to learn. Using technology is clean. Teachers do not have to clean up from projects but instead can spend more time teaching. This lets student learn to teach themselves.
Thank you to Anthony Capps and Dr. Strange for these GREAT tips on teaching, as well as discussing new technology and how to incorporate it. I enjoyed these shorts videos and they helped me understand more about the role of a teacher.

My Sentence Videos

My Sentence is...

My Passions are...

Project #3 Presentation

Blog Post #5

As future teachers, we must prepare to help our students evolve in a world that is constantly changing. PLN is a way to demonstate a group of people, blogs, websites, and other types of resources to better understand concepts. I was very interested in Symbaloo after watching, A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment

C4T Summary Post

I have been assigned to Angela Maiers blog. She is a huge advocate for the #YouMatter campaign. She has promoted this by workshops, discussions on Twitter, and conferences. First I read her blog post about becoming involved in her newsletter. I subscribed to this newsletter and hope to receive valuable information on how to make children feel they "matter". I explained to Mrs. Maiers my current status as a student at the University of South Alabama then told her that her video she posted was really inspiring. On my second post, I read the conversation she posted on Twitter. Also, I explained it is amazing Twitter can be used for such a professional discussion on how to improve our children's view on learning. I told Mrs. Maiers I would like to join one of her personal workshops.
Angela Maiers's Blog

Search Engines

#1: WolframAlpha- I researched about the search engine to see when it was created and for what purpose. Mainly WolframAlpha was created for mathematical calculations but now it has become so much more. When I was researching I found this site, Awesome Things You can do with WolframAlpha. This site gives 32 different things that WolframAlpha can research for you and gives you the answer immediately. For example, one can simply find nutritional values of food and can also customize it. Another cool thing about this search engine is it is great with probabilities. Math equations can no longer be such a headache!I plan on using this search engine in the future because of the instant view of answers instead of a long list of links.
#2: Ixquick- This search engine allows for a lot of privacy. When I first opened the search engine, it stated, "the world's most private search engine". This seems like a reliable search engine that ensures your security.
#3: DuckDuckGo- Like Ixquick, it does not share or require personal information. This is another secure search engine that does not have all the adds and spam like Yahoo or Goggle can have at times.
#4: TheFind- Shopping for the best deal is important. This allows the shopper to compare prices, find different items locally, and gives over thousands of options for the shopper. This engine also includes online stores as well.
#5:Trulia- I used this a few months ago when my boyfriend and I were searching for an apartment in the area. It lets the shopper save homes and apartments based on needs. It even connects the user to a real estate agent when looking for a house in the area.
#6:LinkedIn- Business-based search engine that allows users to look and connect for other professionals. This is a good tool for employers to connect to employees and a way to create a resume online.
#7: Youtube- Gives entertainment at one click! I use Youtube on a daily basis because I love to watch videos online for a laugh, or listen to music while cleaning.
#8: Monster- This is another professional search engine. Professionals can post resumes to jobs around the country. It is very easy for users and makes it easier to find a job when moving.

Searching

Blog Post #4

What questions do we ask? How do we ask?

The first article, The Right Way to Ask Questions in the Classroom, I really like how the author of this article makes a point that teachers ask open-ended questions about concepts before the students even realize they may have questions. This does not allow the student to think in a higher-order of thinking. However, I do not agree necessarily with this process of pointing out students to answer questions. As a teacher, I would love to allow several group oriented discussions and have students collaborate together then present individual questions. This shows students that working together can bring more ideas to the table. If I do ask students question by calling on them, I will do so in the order of question, then calling the student's name. This gives all the students a chance to think of the problem. Another way to improve student's participation is by asking more in-depth questions. After reading, Three Ways to Ask Better Questions in the Classroom, I think it will be beneficial to have prepared questions. This way, I can revise and think of even better ways to engage the classroom.
The Youtube video, Questioning Styles and Strategies was the most beneficial source on how to ask questions while encouraging other forms of answering. For example, the student's are asked to describe Terabithia by drawing and writing to show someone who has not read the book what this place looks like. This is a great way to include art and writing skills into the classroom. Also, the student has time to think and reflect on the question. The students collaborated with partners at the table to work on this project and later the students were surveyed to see the popular answers to the question about how Terabithia would look. I enjoyed seeing good examples on how to ask students questions without the simple "yes" or "no" answer. I feel that in the way this teacher called out students individually played off of the other students comments and it made the classroom feel like a discussion instead of simply calling on a student to answer a particular question. I really enjoyed his different styles to asking questions and ensuring that the students understood the concepts.
For the future of my education career, I saved this video to look back and reflect on. As a teacher and a life-long learner, there are always ways to improve learning. By becoming better at asking questions, students will become better at answering them.

Blog Post #3

Learning about peer editing is a great way to practice on how to be an effective teacher. As a teacher, one has to give criticism and understand how to do so in a constructive way. Criticism is a great way to give compliments to a student's work. It is always best to stay positive towards another person's work and consider how criticism would make you feel. Starting with a compliment shows the student or writer that their work has great potential and you are only trying to help improve. After finding areas that need improvement, give clear suggestions on what the student can do to make their work even better.

The video, Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes really opened my eyes on how to be effective while reviewing a student or a peer's work. It is always best to be specific because the writer can understand what needs to be changed and why. Also, another example from this video showed a "Pushy Paula". Sometimes students or peers will not want to take advice. At the end of the day, it is his or her's work and their choice what to do with the work.

I feel these examples on how to properly criticize a person's work is needed for future teachers. A teacher is here to be a guide and never to be a person a student does not feel like sharing their work with.