Final Post...Self Reflection Video

I am very sad to say that Youtube will not let me upload my video, BUT I'm going to keep trying!

Final Project #16

For our final project, Josh King and I decided to create a resource website for teachers and aspiring teachers. We decided that there needed to be a one stop shop for teachers where they could access other teachers' blogs, kids' blogs, and other various things. We created a connect page (for teachers' blogs), a how to page (to give some advice about a few good tools for the classroom), a motivate page (takes you to Comments 4 Kids and encourages you to comment), and a page about things we dig.

Please, please, please come visit us at Teach Savvy!

Final Report on PLN

 My PLN is still a work in progress. But I think it's suppose to always be a work in progress. You should never stop expanding your cirlce of people you learn from. Twitter is a really great resource (now that I've figured it out) that I use to stay up to date on different teacher's blogs. I have found that it's a really cool way to keep in touch as well. I also am keeping up with several different blogs to keep me in touch. Two of my favorites are At the Teacher's Desk and Keeping Kids First. They are both informative and an encouragement! I love learning from people who have been there, done it, and seen it all. It's also fun to get ideas from them. I plan to keep on extending my PLN which is what I'm sort of doing with Project 16.

C4T Summary #4

     My Teacher number 4 was Ms. Kelly Hines. Ms. Hines has so many great posts, it was hard to choose 2 to comment on. We all had to comment on her post "A Commentary on Comic Books", a post about the new movie Waiting for Superman. The other posts I commented on were "The Sum of the Parts" and "Teaching Job Description". The first discussed how how she hated being disconnected from her circle of friends that she talks to often. She talked about how she kept up with them individually, but it wasn't the same as when they were all together. The ideas didn't flow as freely and such. This really made me think about how helpful a PLN really is. The second post was about the job description of a teacher. She talked about how so much more time and feeling is put in than just from the hours of 7:30-3:00. I really loved this post! I think she nailed exactly what it truly means to be a teacher. She mentioned how much it means to her kids just to go to their events like football games and such. She also talked about how much emotion you actually put into the job as well.

C4K Summary #8-11

     I got another batch of kids that were just as adorable as the last. They are all so great at blogging, it makes me a little jealous. There posts tend to be short, but they get there point across. They all do a fabulous job!

     The first student I commented on was Oscar. Oscar told us about how part of his class went to New Zealand, while the rest of his class was split up. He talked about how he did a poster project on his favorite car, a SSC Ultimate Aero made by Shelby Supercars.

     The second student I commented on was a fifth grader named Grace. Grace wrote a fantastic story called A Night at the Museum. Her story was written so well, I was very very impressed. She even used dialogue in her story.

     The last student I commented on was Conner. Conner is a sixth grader who talked about going camping. He was very excited about going and all the things he was going to get to do. He also mentioned his drawings for a movie he was making. I encouraged him to add his movie to his blog as well.

Project #15 Book Trailers

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green



Beauty by Susan Wilson



Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card



Ice Station by Matt Reilly

Blog Assignment 13

ALEX (Alabama Learning Exchange)
     I really liked ALEX (Alabama Learning Exchange)! I found it very useful. I appreciated the layout and how valuable the information was. It has courses of study, searches, web links, and other places to find resources for teachers. This program seems to be very beneficial.
     To test out this website I clicked on the Courses of Study link. Then I clicked on the English/language arts link. From there it prompted me to choose a grade, and I chose the 11th grade since my major is Secondary Education English/language arts. It took me straight to the curriculum for 11th graders. I thought that was so helpful because I didn't have to look in a million places. It was all laid out for me!

Final Project Summary Post

For our final project Josh and I are are talking about creating a resource website for all teachers to be able to access. We are looking at making it a place to access the videos that we have watched this semester as well as others. It will also pull up videos related to the ones that you are watching.

Blog Assignment 12

Blog Instructions: Go to these links and read the articles on school children becoming too dependent on computers and the other on handwriting becoming a lost art. Do you agree? Disagree? Write a short post explaining your answer.


http://www.newsgates.com/latest-gadgets-computers-school-children-are-becoming-far-too-dependent-on-computers/

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20101105/WDH100201/11050316/Is-handwriting-becoming-a-lost-art-Technology-replacing-some-long-held-skills


I agree with these articles. I understand that this class is all about the ways that we can improve our classrooms and our the way our students learn, however, I don't think we should lose everything we've done in the past.

1.) We lose spelling ability.
     While most people may find this a rather trivial thing to think about...it's a pet peeve of mine. I can't stand to see common words misspelled. When we are so used to using things such as Microsoft Word and phones that check our spelling for us, we lose the ability to spell on our own. One of my professors mentioned just the other day that our "shorthand" that we develop in texting, creeps into our work we turn in on tests. That's fine for our own notes, however it's not acceptable for work that is turned in.

2.) Taking notes proves to be helpful.
     When students take notes, they are more likely to remember what they've written. In fact, many teachers recommend that students re-copy their notes in order to study. In my opinion, this is a great study tool. It also keeps students paying attention in class when they are writing notes.

3.) Writing is a basic skill.
     What's one of the first things we learn in kindergarten? To write. What's the one thing a teacher will hound you on if it's awful? You're writing. I do believe writing is a lost art. Many people can't even form a proper sentence. We depend on programs to correct our errors, and we don't see the need to know how to write correctly. It's my belief that students will always need to know how to write. Always. There will always be essays to be written in class on tests. There will always be short answer questions on tests. We just need to give students a good background in writing. So many people don't even know how to create a properly addressed letter. It makes me sad to think that we're losing that quality in our society.

4.) Conversation is becoming a thing of the past.
     Computers take away our personal interaction. With emails, texting, and instant messaging, we don't have a need to see people and speak with them. I asked my kids in Sunday School the other day how they felt about this [we were talking about dating, but it's still relevant]. I asked them if they text to get to know someone or chat on Facebook. They said well yeah of course. Then I asked well what about when you meet them in person? Is it awkward? They agreed that it was. They didn't know what to say. We grow so complacent with just being able to think before we write, that it becomes truly weird when we see someone in person. People today have no conversation skills anymore. They don't know how to communicate anymore.

In conclusion, I think these articles made some good points. By no means am I saying technology is the devil, and something we shouldn't touch with a ten foot pole, I'm just saying that we shouldn't forget everything we once prized as a society.

Survey Results

I sent my questionnaire to the my fellow South Alabama Diamond Girls. I asked them the following questions

and these were the results I got. : )

Have you learned more about the game in the years that you've been a part of this organization? If so, what? Explain.

Yes. I've learned more about the entire program in general.Yes, it has helped me learn about the rules of the game more in depth.No.Yes I have learned that the spirit of the game not winning or losing is the most important part of baseball

What are applications you could list this organization on?
	resume 4 100% Master's Degree 1 25% other 3 75% People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

Do you think Diamond Girls will take more time out of your schedule this year than it has in the past?
	yes 0 0% no 1 25% maybe 3 75% People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

What have you enjoyed most during your time as a Diamond Girl?

traveling,relationships built

Meeting new people. 

supporting the jags and meeting new people

What would be some fun activities to reach out to the new girls joining us this year?

more traveling 

 retreat and big brother revealI 

don't know.maybe have more activites where all the girls attend

Do you believe we should be more involved more in the game? If so, how? Explain.

I think more girls should come to the games, even if they aren't working the games.

Somewhat. I believe that this year we have a great group of girls and it will be alot easier to get girls to come to games and get involved! 

We could be. Getting involved and interactig more with the fans.yes and no. we should be involved more in the crowd and the parts of the game like the mascot race and other fun things like that that happen during the game but as far as being involved in the actual game no

Do you believe, as a whole, we show enough school spirit?
	yes 2 50% no 2 50% People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

If you answered no to the above question, how can we change that?

We need to be involved in more projects

get involved in activities on campus and make known to people who we are

Is there anything on campus that you believe we should participate in that we don't or that we did last year and we should again this year (homecoming,etc.)?

homecoming was so much fun.homecoming

Homecoming, Intramurals

Homecoming, we should participate more in spirt week then we did last year and maybe pick a couple more activites around campus

Is there anything that you would change about this organization?

Not that I can think of.more involvement

Making it more well known to the campus and what we do and what we're all about.

I would like to see us more active in the community of the school and for diamond girls to have more standing around campus

Number of daily responses

Blog Assignment 11

Little Kids...Big Potential
     I was beyond impressed with these first graders. Not only were they cute, they could kick my butt with anything technology related! All the things they were learning were so cool. I think that this is wonderful for these kids. They mentioned how it was helping them with their writing as well. I think that aspect is very neat. I love that they are free to do centers online as well. They seem to love the time they get to spend blogging. These kids were just so awesome! I also loved that they worked in groups. This teaches them teamwork at a very young age. I also loved that they got to use their Nintendo DSs to learn.
      Ms. Cassidy has a lot of wonderful ideas when it comes to education.  I really likes that she introduces technology at such a young age. A lot of teachers would probably not see the use in letting kids that small work with technology. That's when they learn the best though. These students are developing skills that they will use for a long time. I also believe that the idea of blogging is cool for these young kids. They will be able to look back at their work years later. I would love to use blogging in my classroom. It's a neat idea for kids to keep up with their work, as well as what others are doing. It's a good way for them to develop their own PLN. I really enjoyed Ms. Cassidy's interview as well as her YouTube video.

C4K Summary #3-7

   
     All of my kids that I had for commenting 3-7 were so adorable! They all seemed like very smart, very creative children.
     The first child I commented on was Eleva. She is from Pt England. She loves Justin Beiber, which is what one of her posts was about. She gave a little background info about him and discussed his music. Several of her blogs were very good animations about volcanoes, which she and her group did a fabulous job on!
     The next student was Yvette. Yvette's posts were very interesting as well. She talked about why everyone should visit California. She elaborated on Disney Land and all of the other cool attractions California has to offer, such as the beaches.
     Student #5 was Sophie. Sophie was a super intelligent little girl. One post I commented on was about how to deal with anger. She seemed very wise for her age. She talked about how instead of getting angry when someone underestimates her, she just proves that person wrong.
     Student #6 was Taylor T. His post was about how much he loved the beach, and that it was his favorite place. I told him I agreed with him! It's one of my favorite places as well!
     Student #7 was Dakota W. His post was about his class's "O.R.E.O. Project". This project sounded really really fun! I loved that they had all kinds of challenges to do with the Oreos. It sounded like the kids had a blast! My only problem is that I would have eaten all the Oreos before the experiment! I found this project a really fun way for them to learn.

C4T Summary #3

     My first teacher for this post is Ms. Morgan Bayda. Ms. Bayda is a teacher in Saskatchewan. She has traveled around the world working with schools. You can truly tell she enjoys herself as a teacher. From her posts, anyone can see that she is very passionate about her job and for the people she works with! I enjoyed looking at her pictures and learning about her trips!
     The second teacher I was assigned was Mrs. Kelly Hines. Mrs. Hines is a fourth grade teacher in Washington, North Carolina. In one of the two posts I read, she talks about her PLN. It was very nice to hear from a teacher who truly benefits from connecting with other teachers. She talked about how their group they've formed (her and the teachers in her PLN), are better as a whole, than the sum of them together. I didn't get it at first either but she continued to explain. She had to be temporarily disconnected from her group, and while she still maintained contact with the members of her group, they weren't together. It was a good point. When they were all together and when we work with groups, we feed off of one another's ideas.
     The second post I read from her was "A Commentary on Comic Books". It was on the new documentary "Waiting for Superman". She talked about how while, education reform is great, it is not going to be accomplished by one person. Also that if we're waiting on Superman and depending on him, we're in a lot more trouble than we're in now. Superman only saved the day. He didn't clear up the problem, because Lex Luther just kept coming back. We need a permanent solution to education reform.
     Overall, I really enjoyed reading these teachers' posts! They were very different and both very interesting!

Intstructional Video

Additional Assignment #3

"Changing Paradigms"
      In my opinion, the most beneficial thing Sir Robinson brings up is the fact that we are trying to teach children how to make a place in the future economy 20 years from now, when we don't know what it will look like 2 weeks from now. We live in an ever-changing world. So yes we must adapt. I don't think it's as important to teach kids how to make their place, as it is to teach them to grow with the changing world. If we give them the tools to do something and let them find their own way, instead of  just giving one particular way for them to do something, they'd be much better off.
     I think that the College of Education does gives us the tools we need, not just one way. After all, this class is doing that. We're being taught many ways to do something and we're taught how these tools can be beneficial.
     I think the best thing we can do to put his words in to practice, is just not to get caught up in the "teaching" aspect. We should be more into the learning aspect. I also agree that the ADHD thing is an epidemic. I think it's an excuse in most cases, an excuse for kids' behavior. If we didn't "put them to sleep" as Sir Robinson puts it, they might surprise you with their creativity.
     In this kind of project, I think I would probably be a designer or an author. Maybe even a director or narrator. Art's not really my thing. My stick people always look pitiful and homely (yes stick people can look homely).

Blog Assignment 10

"An Open Letter to Educators"
     I think in a way, we've all felt cheated out of our education. Some classes are boring, some aren't. It's the ones that aren't that we tend to cling to. We just battle through the boring ones. It's tough but then again, that's life. Sometimes we'll be given projects, chores, assignments, or whatever the case may be, and we just have to toughen up and do it. That doesn't mean though that we can't take a stand on trying to liven things up. That's definitely what Dan Brown did, he livened things up a bit.
     I agree with most of what Dan had to say. I completely agree with the fact that our schooling is interfering with our learning. Most teachers no longer encourage creativity. Like he said they give us facts, we give them back, and most of the time, we forget said facts. It's all a repetitive cycle. The more interesting you make something, the more likely is that the fact will be remembered. I think creativity should be encouraged at all ages, whether a child is 3 or 16. Even we as adults need to be encourage to be creative sometimes.
     I liked Dan's video. I love his radical idea of just quitting school. I don't think I could ever do that, so more power to him. I hope all works out with him, but no matter how much we hate the system, we have to conform sometimes in order to get a good job. Like Dan says if don't conform to the changing world, we'll get left behind. So sometimes we have to do the things we don't want to, which may mean sitting in a boring class from time to time.

"Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home"
      I really enjoyed this post! It was quite funny, and it definitely made a point. So many teachers, in my opinion, focus on tests. That may not have been the point of this, but it made me think. Standardized tests rub me the wrong way. Teachers will spend all year practicing for the graduation exams, the ACT, and other tests that make the school look good or bad. I can't stand that! In my opinion, we should focus less on getting them to pass a test, and more on what could help them pass the test. Let me explain. If we just teach kids and focus on a variety of things, they might retain something. When facts are shoved down their throats to pass one test, it doesn't accomplish anything. We get that "burp-back" education. That's not the kind of education I want my children to have.

"Two Questions That Can Change Your Life"
       I loved this video. Sometimes we don't think about the legacy that we're leaving behind. This video was a huge encouragement and it made me think more about my actions. We should all do something worthwhile, something for people to remember.
"She's learning today for one, to make a better tomorrow for many." --my sentence :)

SMARTboard Lesson...Rocks!!

My PLN

It took me a while to I guess figure out what my PLN really was. I like the idea of being able to connect with people all over the world and developing a PLN. Symbaloo is a really cool way of organizing everything I access. I love organization [even though sometimes I struggle with it]. This is a really great way to keep my focus straight. I also really like blogging. I guess I never really new how big the world of blogging was! I keep realizing that a lot of things I find on the internet are on people's blogs. A few weeks ago, I was looking for a birthday cake recipe and I found a wonderful blog on party ideas. I was so excited! I felt like I was actually using what I'd learned in this class for something that seemed so small. I also like the idea of twitter. I have yet to create an account because I am still a little hesitant to it. A friend in this class actually explained what you could use it for and how you could connect with other teachers. He made it sound very beneficial. Before, I just found the idea a little silly, but now I know it's just because I didn't understand it. I am gradually expanding my PLN and learning more about it.

Blog Assignment 9

"What I've Learned This Year" by: Mr. McClung

I truly enjoyed reading Mr. McClung's post. He made so many good points about his first year of teaching. I think some of the things he mentioned are the things we tend to forget.

First of all he says that we need to learn how to "read the crowd". When he brought this up, my first thought was, well of course we should know our students. He took it a bit farther. I think that most teachers do get so wrapped up in getting the point across, they forget to make sure the students get the point. We need to be focused 100% on what the students are understanding, after all, isn't that the point of being a teacher?

I really liked the next point he made. We have to be flexible. When it comes to things I've planned, I'm not as flexible as I should be. Mr. McClung tells us not to stress over things that don't go as perfectly as we plan. I know that is something I seriously need to work on.

The next point Mr. McClung makes is about how important communication is. It seems like something we should already know. However, I think it's one of those things we don't think about. In my time working with kids, I've learned that sometimes they just need to talk. They feel a million times better if they know someone cared to listen.

The next point he makes is to be reasonable. I agree. A lot of teachers hold students as being perfect and that their class is the only one we have. Now I'm not saying we should all be slackers and not do anything, but we aren't perfect. As a teacher, I feel like it's important to understand the capability of students and hold them to that standard, not one for them to be perfect.

Don't be afraid of technology. That's a mouthful for some of us. Mr. McClung tells us to embrace technology and not be scared of it. Most of us [or maybe it's just me] tend to like the way things have always done. I like change, don't get me wrong. Technology is just overwhelming sometimes. This class is definitely helping through my anxieties though.

He talks about listening to our students. I think I already touched on that before. It is extremely important and I agree with him wholeheartedly on this point. Next he encourages us to never stop learning. I don't think we ever stop learning. Ever. Sometimes it might be a small fact we never knew...[Did you know iguanas hibernate? Yeah, neither did I until last year when I watched an episode of Go, Diego, Go.] or it might be learning how to use a new piece of technology when we're 90 years old. The point is...we never stop.

Overall, I really loved this post. Like I said before, it reminds of somethings we don't always think about it. I will definitely take these and apply them to my teaching. Actually if you think about it, many of these apply to life in general. This post gives us all somethings to think about.

Skype Interview

Blog Assignment 8

"This is How We Dream"
I can definitely relate to Mr. Miller. I love books as well, and I am all about using them to teach others. He is right however when he says if that's all we focus on, that's what we'll get.

I don't entirely agree with his thoughts on becoming what seems to be a paperless world. It seems like a good idea in theory. He says that even when you take something from the web, it's still there for others to access, unlike when you check a book out from the library. That is an excellent point. What I don't agree with is that we shouldn't steer completely away from real books and writing on paper. There is a certain quality kids learn from doing those things. When writing a paper, with pencil and paper, there is no spell check, no grammar check. I know I have become entirely too dependent on those things and I believe it is an injustice to students to have them do all there writing on computer. Most students don't even know how to write an old-fashioned letter, let alone address it when they are through, now we just send e-mails.

Overall, I really liked the concept. Being able to access all kinds of info is completely awesome. I do believe however, that we just need to be careful not to let it take over. Books, in my opinion are still important. Many may not agree with me, and I may seem outdated, but I don't think we should steer away from making kids learn skills like writing properly. 


"The Chipper Series" and "EDM310 for Dummies"

Both of these videos were very cute and informative. I thought that "The Chipper Series" videos were exactly the way most college students think. I know I think that way sometimes at least. We all work on our own time frames and we think that future is the present. I know I am one of the world's worst procrastinators. My work usually gets done at the last minute because sometimes it feels like it's the only time I have to do it! I believe we do get taught in this class...however, sometimes that just means we have to teach ourselves. I don't think it's completely the teacher's responsibility to do ALL the teaching. We learn things on our own and from other students. I know that in this class I've had to depend on my friends to explain some things to me and I've done the same in return for them. Sometimes, we as students, think we know best. I think the point of Chipper was to show us, that we totally don't. EDM310 for dummies was also a very cute video. I also love the way it was set up as a commercial. It made me feel silly for stressing out over this class. I guess when you put it into perspective, it's a lot easier than we think.


SMART boards

I definitely agree with these 2 posts. In my opinion, SMART boards are there for looks. They are cool, I must admit, but not worth the money they cost. One of my teachers had one when we were in the 9th grade. We all thought it was very exciting and neat that we had one, but that excitement wore off very quickly.

The blog post I found in support of SMART boards was very helpful. Many of the teachers found the fact that the board is interactive to be the most helpful quality. They all raved about how the students could be very hands on. The link below will take you the page (several comments from different teachers from different grades).

check it out

Timetoast Timeline #2

Additional Assignment #2

"Sugata Mitra: The Child-Driven Education"

I found this video to be pretty interesting. I agree with the statement made, "if a teacher can be replaced by a machine, they should". As teachers, we should bring something dynamic to the table, something a machine can't. Teachers offer that personal interaction that you can't get from a computer.

I definitely think that kids can learn if they're motivated and for that matter they can teach themselves. When Mr. Mitra did his experiment with the computers in New Delhi, the kids taught themselves. It's like any toy with a child. What's the first thing they do? Rip open the box and start playing with the toy. They don't read the instructions but given enough time they will figure out every detail and part of that game in an hour.

The environment kids need to teach themselves isn't one where teachers hover. When you give a child a project and then you hover and pressure them, they aren't likely to do it on their own time. In Mr. Mitra's talk he said that it was only when left alone, that the kids would go and play on the computer and play the games.

The best way to motivate someone to learn is to make it the learning fun. When a child thinks something is boring, they aren't likely to do that project or assignment. Technology helps us out in that way. We can use technology to help us in making learning fun.

When I teach Sunday school, I am constantly trying to find ways to make what I'm teaching them interesting. I am always looking for games to play and videos to show them. When I bring in an object and use that, it heightens their interest. For example, one class I brought in a yo-yo. I began playing with it while I was talking [which I am HORRIBLE at]. They were watching me and I invited them to come try or if they knew any cool tricks. After a few volunteers, they looked interested. They focused on what I was talking about. My point was that we are always connected to God and we can pray anytime we want. Sometimes it feels like we're spinning at the end of our rope [when you let the yo-yo go and spin]. God hasn't left us...we're still connected. They relate when you use an attention-getter.

I took from this video, that kids can and will learn on their own. Just give them time and the resources and they'll prove they're motivated.

Timetoast Timeline

C4K Summary #2

My student to comment on was named Eleva. She seemed like a very bright little girl. She is a year 5 student at Pt England School in Auckland, NZ. I commented on her post about Sir Francis Drake and on a project she did about a volcano. I can tell she worked very hard on both of these projects!

C4T Summary #2

Mr. Russel Goerend is a 6th grade language arts and social studies teacher at Waukee Middle School in Waukee, Iowa. His first post I read was about using Evernote in his classroom. I found this post to be very cool. He uses this as a 1 on 1 conference tool. This allows him to review each one of his student's work as well as review their reading skills. This system also allows him to stay more organized with the iPad vs. a 3-ringed binder which he used to use.

His second post I read was a tour of his classroom with pictures. I loved the way he had his room set up and some of the things he uses. I liked his writer's notebook where he will post techniques that they learn during the year. In my opinion, this forces them to be creative. The other idea he uses is having the students organize the books themselves. I like this because when they read, the have to pay attention. They can't just go through the motions of reading. I really enjoyed Mr. Goerend's blog.

Blog Assignment 7

"Randy Pausch's Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams"

First of all, I adored Mr. Pausch's attitude. He was in such good spirits and didn't want anyone's pity. He had a purpose to be there and did was he was suppose to do. I think it was important that he began with talking about some of his own childhood dreams. It makes what he's going to talk about easy to relate to. I loved when he told about Coach Graham riding him all practice. I really believe what the other coach said. When someone stops getting on to you, it means they've given up. It's important to instill in children that we believe in them no matter what. I also like his take on "head fake" learning. A 6 year old boy doesn't know he's learning teamwork or communication skills when you send him onto a football field. He just knows he gets to hit people and get away with it. It's sneaky, but it works. I also agree with what Mr. Pausch says about brick walls. They aren't there to stop you, only make you work harder.

I also like the way he taught the VR course. I love that 50 students were randomly over all departments. When you're put in a new environment with people you don't know and you're forced to work with them, I think you grow as a person. I like the method that teams swapped up every two weeks as well. It forces you to get out of your comfort zone. The people you just became accustomed to are no longer with you and you have to find out other people's strengths and weaknesses.

I like the way they did the ETC Masters' Degree. It was solely based on hands learning. That is, in this field, the best way to get a grasp on what you're learning. I also like the bar chart that shows where you stand against your other classmates. When he refers back to the "head fake" with the Alice program, I love that he uses this approach to teach kids. Teaching them computer programming is incredibly difficult and if you can ,like I said before, almost trick them into learning it, I think they learn so much more. They aren't in sense forced to do the work, it becomes fun.

 When he spoke about the people in his life who helped him, you could hear the respect he had for them, even though he was joking. I don't think we realize all of the people that help us along the way. I agree with him also when he says to never lose the childlike wonder. Kids are so open and so innocent. They don't look at things with prejudices and boundaries like we do. They see something they want to do and go for it. They honestly don't have a care in the world. Overall I enjoyed this lecture so much. I thought it was amazing. As I said before I admire Mr. Pausch's attitude so much. He truly touched the world and left behind an amazing legacy.






     

Blog Assignment 6

"The Networked Student" by Wendy Drexler

First of all, I loved this video! It was very creative in my opinion. The way it was written and the way they told the story kept my attention. Secondly, I believe this idea of "connectivism" is extremely helpful to students. The ideas that this video brings forth are really cool in the way that all students are there to help one another.

The example in the video shows a student who is almost self-reliant. His teacher almost never lectures and a lot of his work is online. He must be creative in the way he gets his information. Through the idea of connectivism, he learns of all these ways that he can learn. He learns from other students' opinions, through blogs, iTunesU, and numerous other resources.

Being a teacher of a networked student would probably be a little easier. The average student is dependent on the teacher for every single bit of information in the classroom. I liked the fact that this idea would almost make the student more independent. It would be up to them to reach out to others and look for ways to get information rather than being spoon fed. Students also improve relationships through this. They are able to bond with classmates, other professors, and sometimes even people from all over the world.


"A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN)"
I thought this video was very interesting. I loved the organization that this girl had. For a 7th grader I thought it was pretty amazing actually. She seemed to have all her work together. I loved looking at her projects as well. I liked that the students had the freedom to go anywhere on the internet, and yet they still recognized the responsibility to get their work finished. I thought this approach was very interesting.


"The Machine is Changing Us" by Michael Wesch
In the beginning of this video Mr. Wesch begins by comparing George Orwell's book "1984" and Aldous Huxley's "A Brave New World". From the way Mr. Wesch describes "A Brave New World", I believe Huxley is dead on. We are becoming a trivial world. We don't necessarily have a need for books.

I definitely agree with Mr. Wesch when he says that media has changed and shaped our culture. I also like when he discusses Neil Postman's "Amusing Ourselves to Death". I also believe these thought are right on as well. I found the quote from Henry Canby quite disturbing, especially since it was from 1926. I think people today do feel this way. It's has nothing to do with fame or be know around the world. It just has to do with be different. Look around on any college campus or for that matter any high school campus. Actually, just look any where in the world and you see so many people reaching out desperately to be noticed. They don't want to be another face in the crowd. They just want to stand out for one reason or another. I also agree with Mr. Wesch when he says that we, as a culture, have become rather indifferent. Think about how many times we use the word "whatever".
I liked when Mr. Wesch talked about the fact that when we use YouTube, Twitter, and others, we aren't talking to anyone in particular. We are more or less talking to ourselves. It does make you extremely self-conscious or it makes me anyway. For example, when we had to do our podcasts, I was so nervous about someone I didn't know seeing my work. I also found the Free Hugs Campaign interesting. I have a couple of friends that have shirts that have "Free Hugs" on it. I just never knew what it was about.

I really enjoyed this video. Looking around, I see so many of the things he talks about it his lecture, from people wanting desperately to be recognized to wanting to weep for the future from their spelling alone. As a future English teacher, that particularly upsets me. I'm kind of scared to know what kids of the next generation will be like. That's not to say that all will be bad. It just concerns me. I think our generation is becoming less authentic. We conform. No one has to be themselves due to things like Facebook or Myspace. Someone can be whoever they want and no one would ever know the difference. Overall though, this was an excellent video in my opinion.

C4K Summary

We recently had to read and comment on a student from Noel Elementary School. My student's name was Daniel L. Daniel is an active kid who loves soccer and other sports. In his about me he explained why Math wasn't his best subject, but that he knows that it's important because he uses it everyday. In Daniel's manifesto that Mr. Chamberlain had his students right, he said that he promised to go to bed earlier and to studied harder. He also promised to behave in class. What Mr. Chamberlain is doing with his students is wonderful and I believe it is really opening a whole new world to these kids.

Emily and Lynn EDM310 Podcast

Blog Assignment 5

Eagle Nest Radio and Class Blog
First of all these kids sound too adorable! I love how professional they sound in the podcast. The sound very well rehearsed also. It looks like they have a lot of fun in their class as well. They get to do a lot of cool things with technology. It seems to me that they have learned a lot in their class.It makes me feel better about doing my podcast to know that 3rd graders can do so well.

Langwitches
I just read their blog "Podcasting with First Grade". I loved these kids enthusiasm and how they wanted to "get into people's computers and iPods too". That's so awesome! I also like that the took one and story and could incorporate all the kids. It was a very cool idea.

100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better"
This was incredibly helpful. I never realized how many things there were to put on your iPod. The link to Learning Podcast was also very helpful. The links they list could also be helpful in our group podcasts.

Blog Assignment 4

"Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please?"
I just read Mr. Scott McLeod's, who is the Associate Professor of Educational Administration at Iowa State University, blog post, "Don't teach your kids this stuff. Please?". Mr. McLeod is also the Director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education (CASTLE) and the creator of the Did You Know videos.

I really enjoyed this post. It was very funny and well written. I enjoyed that he poked fun at the way a lot of parents think. We need to let kids have some internet freedom, but we definitely need to keep an eye on what they do. Technology is a good thing, in moderation, much like everything else.



"The iSchool Initiative"
I just watched this video on Youtube. While I admire this high school senior for coming up with this idea, I don't agree with it. In theory, it sounds like a wonderful idea. It would be useful and it would save a lot of time. I just don't think it's benefits out-weigh its cost.
Many students would not be able to afford this. I know he estimated the cost to be around $150, but let's face it, that's a lot for a parent to spend on one child, let alone more than one child. Secondly, technology has been know to let us down. They break, they get lost, they get destroyed. What happens if your iSchool crashes? Where does all your work go? That just adds to the cost if you're forced to buy another. Finally, I would hate to know that my kids one day wouldn't even pick up a book at all at school. When they have to read a classic piece of literature, I want to see them with that book in their hands. No distractions, just them and that book. I would also hate to know that they wouldn't know how to write an essay on a piece of paper. That's how they learn to write properly. There is no spell check, look-up, or thesaurus to get them through it, just them and their own creativity.

"The Lost Generation"
 I found this video terribly sad and terribly true! We are very much so a "quick fix society". We look for the fastest answers and we worry about the consequences later. I agree with this video. I loved the technique and I also agree with when it was read back. I loved the way the creator approached this. I do believe there is hope for our generation if we take control now.

Eric Whitaker's Virtual Choir
This video is awesome! Like Jennifer Chambers said, it's nothing special until you realize that these people have never met! I find it incredible that they were able to put something like this together. This is definitely one of the better uses of the internet. It's bringing people together for a common cause. They have their differences, but for six minutes, 185 people are working together.

Additional Assignment #1

I just watched Dr. Strange's video on Google Squared and Wolfram Alpha. Both I found very interesting! They both seem to be extremely helpful when it comes to searching for information. I like the format of both of them because they aren't very complicated. It is very easy to find exactly what you are looking for. I had never heard of either of the sites before this assignment, but I will have to use them in the future! Looking back to the video "Did You Know?", it puts all of that info into perspective. It's like we all know China and India have huge populations, but you don't really realize just how many people live there until you have the numbers lined up for you. It's crazy to think how many people live in just a square mile as well. I definitely enjoyed learning a little about these two sites.

The food for thought was amazing! I find it incredible that an illiterate six year could probably use in iPad better than I could. I guess it goes to show that some technology can reach all people.

Google Presentation

C4T Summary

I have really enjoyed reading Mrs. King's blog. I loved her view on how the Apple Trackpad takes her away from the front of the room. Students, in my opinion, are more likely to be open when a teacher isn't lecturing them. She says that the Trackpad also allows her to work interactively with smaller groups better. This is great because it allows teachers to work more closely with students.
Her second post I read was about the power of social networking. She talks about how quickly we can get in touch with whom we need to in just a matter of minutes. It's extremely convenient after the devastation that was experienced by an earthquake very close to her.

Blog Assignment 3

"A Vision of Students Today"
I really enjoyed this video so much! I found it very true! Some of the points the students were making are some of the things I think every day. They mentioned spending so much money on textbooks and never opening. I know I'm not the only one who thinks that! Students will be in so much debt when they graduate that it's horrible to think that we are wasting that much money. We need to focus on technology that could eliminate some of our textbook use.
I also agreed with the fact that we all have to be multi-taskers. It's impossible not to be! With so much going on with work, school, and extra-curricular activities, there just isn't enough time during the day.

"It's Not About the Technology"
Mrs. Hines' post is so incredibly true! I agree with the fact teachers must be constant learners. To be effective, you can't be behind. Like she said if you put all teachers in one school together, there ages span quite a bit, yet they've adapted. They should be examples to all of us.
I don't know how many of my teachers have complained that they've tried to teach it, we just don't understand it. Most teachers put the information out there and pray we get it. Mrs. Hines' is right though, it doesn't stop there. Learning is the most important thing! Like she stated, it may not look the same in all students, but you'll be able to recognize when the light comes on.
I also agree that teaching children to be creative and encouraging their problem solving skills is extremely important. If students are handed technology tools and that's the only way they know to solve something, what will happen if one day that tool is not available? It's important for them to know how to use technology, but it shouldn't be what they depend on.

"Is It Ok to Be a Technology Illiterate Teacher?"
I don't agree with everything in this post. It was all very good and very true. I particularly don't agree with the statement, "If a teacher today is not technologically literate - and is unwilling to make the effort to learn more - it's equivalent to a teacher 30 years ago who didn't know how to read and write.". I do believe it's a bit harsh. Technology is a vital part of the education system, I just don't believe it's the most important.
Teachers do need to be technology literate, don't get me wrong. It is very crucial that they know how perform basic computer skills. We all know this, but the most important thing is that they figure out the best way to reach their students. Whether that be through technology or another way.

Blog Assignment 2

"Did You Know?"
I was shocked at some of the statistics that were given! I couldn't believe that there were more honors students in India than there were kids in America. However when they started talking about how we are preparing for jobs today that don't exist yet, I found it very true. I guess I never thought about it that way though. There are technologies being invented every day that we couldn't fathom 20, 15, or even 10 years ago.
The way we do things now days aren't the way that we used to do them. We don't meet people the way we used to. The statistic that said 1 out of every 8 couples that were married last year met online was surprising to me, although I don't know why. With everyone having Facebook and Myspace accounts it shouldn't surprise me at all! We have lost the element of meeting and speaking face to face. I think in a way it has made us a poorly mannered society. Kids now days don't even have the communications skills necessary to speak to one another. They use IM and texting a sole means of communication. Phone skills are even lost in among all new technology.
The expanding in the world of technology is almost scary! For them to say that by 2013 there will be a computer that can operate better than the human mind is a little bit unnerving. To think, a computer doing the things of the human mind.

"Mr. Winkle Wakes"
I liked this video. It was kind of funny in a way, but I think a lot of elderly people feel this way sometimes. There are things that they'd never thought they see, things they couldn't even imagine. Even our parents see things that weren't around when they were younger and I'm sure that it will be the same with our generation as time goes on.
The part of the video where Mr. Winkle goes to this hospital was particularly important. Medical advancements are an enormous part of our changing society. The things doctors can do now are incredible.
I must agree with the end of the movie. Schools are rather outdated. Students tend to get bored with the same lecture type set up. That's why classes like EDM are important. They can help us make school more fun for our future students.

"The Importance of Creativity"
I agree with Mr. Robinson completely. I think we do kill creativity in children. We raise them in an ever-changing, extremely creative world and we don't encourage them to be creative in the classroom. I like where he says that we have to prepare to be wrong in order to be creative. Kids don't have that censor. They have no fear of judgment that we do as adults. We are so scared of what others will say about opinions that sometimes we stop children from giving theirs. I guess in fear that they will get hurt.
I also like when he said that Shakespeare had to be in someone's English class. It was a funny thought, but a true thought. This made me think, since I want to be an English teacher. Someone that is in my class one day may be an aspiring writer and it would be extremely important for me to encourage their creativity.
I also agree completely with him when he says that the arts can be just as important as mathematics and sciences. We don't put enough emphasis on the creativity in art, whether it be art or drama or whatever else. I was in drama in high school and I loved it. It took me out of my comfort zone! I had to get up and speak and perform in front of people. That gave me the courage to get up and speak now in front of people.

"Harnessing Your Students' Digital Smarts"
I like that Vicki Davis uses technology in her classroom, however I don't agree with her statement "with paper and pencil, only some students will succeed". I think that it could be the same way with computers and technology. Some people just aren't good with computer work.
I think that technology is very important in the classroom, however it shouldn't be the sole thing we rely on. I think that doing only computer work may hurt the students who are better with paper work. Like myself for example. It's hard for me to sit in front of a computer for an hour doing work.

Blog Assignment 1

     Hi everyone! The whole blogging world is new to me, so stick with me, I’m trying! My name is Emily Pilotte and I am a sophomore at the University of South Alabama. I am a secondary education, English/language arts major and I love it! I've also been throwing around the idea of minoring in history. I came to South because of my scholarship and to pursue a degree in physical therapy. I quickly decided my heart was just not in it. I am also a diamond girl at South for our baseball team. I love baseball and meeting new people, and this allows me to enjoy both!

     I am from Andalusia, Alabama, a small town about 2 hours from Mobile. I graduated with 76 other people from Straughn High School. I miss small town life very much! I miss knowing almost every face I see at the Wal-Mart and I miss my family and my friends. However, I know that this experience is totally and completely worth some of the sacrifices. My mom and dad mean the world to me, as do my friends. They definitely keep me laughing.

     I teach Sunday school, 9th-12th grade, at Harmony Baptist Church in Andalusia. I know that God put that in my life to prove that I am suppose to teach. I love that I get to talk to them about God’s word and His love. I love when I see that light go on and they understand what I’m trying to say. I also love to read and I want others to love to read as well. My grandmother always encouraged me to learn and to read more and because of her, I want to open up that whole other world for people. My goal as a teacher is to be fun and interesting. I want kids to want to learn. I want them to be excited about reading and realize how valuable being a good reader can be in life! With the age of technology, my goal is harder to achieve, but I refuse to give up!

     A few bonuses that I’ll throw in that no one probably cares about…I already said I like to read. My favorite books would probably be The Importance of Being Earnest, Our Town (yes I know those are plays), Looking for Alaska, and An Abundance of Katherines, among others. I love almost all kinds of music. I love Red Sox baseball and Alabama football. I think Taylor Swift writes songs that apply to my life, I own way to much nail polish, and I like to collect classic books. The other stuff might bore you so I’ll stop there…hope you enjoy my blog!

One last thought I'll add, one of my favorite quotes...
     "To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing it's best, night and day, to make you everybody else, means to fight the hardest battle, which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting." --E.E. Cummings