C4K February

#1
The first child I was assigned was named Shalmon. He attends Pt. England School where his teacher is Ms. King. His post was titled “Home Alone”, which was his description of how he spent his holiday. It started very slowly because Shalmon wasn’t enjoying it very much. He first mentioned how he did not like that he would be home alone with his brothers, but when he found out that they would be playing basketball one day, he was excited. I added that I was also a fan of the game and how glad I was that he eventually had some fun over the holidays.

#2
The second child I was assigned was Prestan. Prestan is from New Zealand and his teacher is Mrs. Huebner. His post was about an interview he had with another person. The questions were based upon Christopher Columbus. The post was filled with many facts about Columbus and I made it clear to Prestan that he refreshed my memory of some things about Christopher Columbus. Things like how Columbus was searching for East Indies/India as he stumbled into the discovery of America.

#3
The third child was Royce. Royce is a third grader from Connecticut, in Mrs. Yollis class. His blog post was called “Amazing Things you find in Nature”. He uploaded multiple pictures of animals he had seen regularly in his back yard. The main thing I loved about his entry was that he ended it with questions. He asked if we had animals lurking around our backyards. I was in awe of how well written his post was, and he even included a joke which I found quite funny.

#4
The last child of February was Teva. She is a student in Mr. Moriarty's class of Parkvale, New Zealand. Her latest blog post was a google presentation called "Six Things My Teach Needs to Know About Me". She included things such as her favorite color and food. What I like most about her presentation is that remembered to leave links for her class blog and hers as well on last page of the presentation.

Timetoast Project #9a

Years of Vacations

Blog Post #5

Do not Teach Your Kids this Stuff. Please?

First of all, the form of the post really got me thinking. As you scroll down further and further towards the end I’m sure you notice it’s not typically in the form of a paragraph. It somehow jumps out to me as doomsday or something in that nature, in a sense that if we don’t encourage children to use technology and support the movement of it, then we along with the children will be lost. Yes! There are things on the internet children should stay away from, but there’s so much more offered that they will not see in the outside world. Everything comes with a choice and focusing on teaching our children to make correct choices will help benefit them in their usage of technology.

The iSchool Initiative

I can’t say that I agree fully with the idea of getting rid of everything in today’s teaching and replacing it with the iSchool. I know that technology is expanding and I do feel the use of it is beneficial, but as far as making it top priority is just not something I’m comfortable with. Although the idea of the iSchool is not one I totally agree with, I enjoyed the presentation of the argument.

Travis showed all the features that are in the classroom or on a computer that can be found easily on the iSchool. Just thinking about the hassle of carrying books and sometimes not having a writing utensil does make me feel that this idea is a great one, but what happens when something goes wrong with the iSchool and there is wait on a replaceable one? I wouldn’t mind meeting one of the iSchool Initiative members to get the full outlook on the idea.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

I am speechless after watching this video. I love music in every aspect and I always try to find the latest on how someone has changed something or created a movement. This is definitely a movement in the making. The people might as well have been in the same room, because I’m sure I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference. I am in awe of this discovery and of the person who thought to make something like this. This is confirmation that technology is as good as people say it is.

Teaching in the 21st Century

In this video, Roberts feelings of the word “teach” today means educating future students about properly using technologic resources. With so much going on around nowadays we cannot rely on just television or someone else passing along for information. We must go where we can get a precise answer to whatever it is we seek to know. I agree with Roberts’ outlook on the situation on teaching students today. We cannot approach them students with just the day to day book teaching.

Roberts also feels that technology is not just pure entertainment, but is more about the engagement of the student and the task at hand. Students enjoy the challenge of being asked to find out things on their own; technology gives them that confidence in themselves to be able to do it. Although sometimes I feel that technology is not going to be needed much in Math, it clearly is. Teaching does not always have to be about a particular subject. I believe it’s about building the knowledge of a person and I know technology helps with that, so I’m all for encouraging it.

Reading Rockets

I honestly feel that nothing can really prepare you fully for the position of teaching, but this site pretty much sums it up quite well. Reading is one of the most important subjects taught and there are many things listed on this site that are valuable to students reading capabilities. I personally would choose this site as an example seeker to help me in the classroom. It’s filled with multiple links to help make you and I perfect teachers. It varies from helping for teachers to helping for principles as well.

I loved this site; in particular I liked the link Teacher Education which explains why some teachers are look at not being prepared to teach. There are multiple guidelines for the teacher in critiquing their personal knowledge while applying it in the classroom. I also enjoyed reading about Speech, Language, and Hearing. It definitely helps one to understand how to approach teaching a child with a hearing disability or a child learning English as a second language.

Blog Post #4

Judy Scharf Podcast Collection

After reading Judy Scharf's Podcast Collection, I began to understand what Podcasting was. Judy broke the word down into two parts which were broadcasting and ipod. The meaning of a podcast, then became apparent to me. Podcasting is a broadcast that can be uploaded as a feature not only on a computer, but on an ipod or a MP3 player as well. She left some tips in the post to help with succeeding at creating a well put together podcast. Her tips included learning Audacity, making sure you have enough time to complete the task, and also being able to let the task be seen by someone, so that students may feel proud of themselves.

Langwitches: Podcasting with First Grade

Although I am not going to be teaching any kids below the age thirteen, I enjoyed reading about the first graders. The one thing in the post that stood out was when it said that an audience matters; even for someone as young as a first grader. Being able to say that someone was interested in the work means a lot. This form of activity also taught the kids to be patient while working on the project. Podcasting seems to be an activity that helps get your voice heard whether its through a video or just audio. I believe I will enjoy it just as the first graders have.

Langwitches: Listening-Comprehension-Podcasting

This post was based upon actually listening, understanding another language and using podcasting as to tool to help. The students had the opportunity to create their own podcast and while using SmartBoards to edit it. Podcasting was an essential tool in this task in which they recorded their voices while reciting different words of different sounds. Overall this assignment helped the students with their speaking sills and fluency in another language.

My Sentence Movie

Project #5

Blog Assignment 3

Technology in Special Education
A.
This was the first time Technology in Special Education has been introduced to me. I do know it requires a great deal of patience to work with a special needs child. From experience of working with a special needs child, I can say that it takes quite a while to finish a single task. Seeing that technology not only keeps the students focused, but boost the confidence of them is remarkable. I think it takes a great teacher to try and think of a sufficient way that could help any student let alone a special needs child.

Technology is a great source for just about any subject. Introducing it to special education courses was a great idea. It makes the students feel “normal” in the sense that they are learning in the way every other type of student is. When the time comes for me to introduce technology to a special needs child I will be honored to enhance their learning abilities. Time management would most likely be the first thing I will try to teach just as Dr. Strange did for the first blog post in Edm310.

B.
The video of the father and son on How the iPad works with Academics for Autism was enlightening; its main focus was to show how technology has impacted the learning of an autistic child. Gadgets are very fun and kids love trying new things, especially when they can use them to gain a feeling superiority. The iPad offers so many different applications to help with learning for young children. I came across an application that stood out to me called Freefall Spelling. The app. contains lessons on spelling, writing and math. It includes some games as well and its being appealing to the human eye is just a plus.

Gary Hayes Social Media Count
My first thought after clicking the link Gary's Social Media Count was by the time I begin teaching, technology will be at somewhat of a normal high, and classroom room setups will be on the same page with it as well. Technology was introduced a long time ago and it has expanded tremendously. If one believes there will be no use for technology they are wrong. After seeing the numbers jump so quickly on link given above made me think about whether the world would even be able to function without the use of technology.

My prediction for the future is that the focal point of the classroom will be the use of technology. Soon it will be required for elementary schools to not only know the basics when it comes to using computers, but also the advance things that are being taught in college classrooms. I am seeing these things progress in today’s teaching.

A Vision of Students Today
A Vision of Students Today was very relatable, as a student we all wonder why there is so much emphasis on education being important. One sometimes feel that certain subjects have no use for being learned, if they have no relation with whatever job is being pursued. Math is usually a major subject that most students complain is pointless to continue with after a certain level, not knowing that the preparation for more advanced Math is crucial to a lot of careers.

I think as future educators we should make sure our students are involved in everything dealing with the subject at hand, plus more. We should want the students to feel that the material is needed and not just the passing grade. A few instructors that I’ve been taught by have made it clear that it’s up to the student to pass the class, but I also feel it is up to the teacher as well. Being a teacher is not usually a last resort type of job and most teachers do it because they enjoy helping others. If instructors were to act more interested in the students learning the material I believe the statement will work vice versa.

C4T #1

The teacher assigned to me was Kevin McLaughlin. The first comment I left was a post explaining why IWB's(Interactive White Boards) are no use for today's students. I agreed with the teacher as far as the IWB's not being needed for certain subjects. With technology so many different things are being created and enhanced; spending money on these boards do appear to be a waste.

The second comment I left was on a more recent post called "Leashes are not Required". The name was very catchy and after reading the post I understood why that name had been chosen. The post was about how he took the approach of teaching literacy and numeracy in a less traditional way. What I mean by that is he gives his kids some of the responsibility of there work being done on time. The students were able to use personal journals to make sure there task were done. I believe this gives the kids a boost of confidence. I liked both post, but this one inspired me a lot and I can't wait to apply some of the things I've learned.

Blog Assignment 2

Did You Know?
Before I click to watch the Did You Know 3.0 Dr. Strange's 2012 Version I had my own conception of what it would be about. I had no idea I would be questioning whether or not I will be ready to go into the teaching field. Although it’s apparent that the human race is more than just Americans, I think we sometimes forget. Americans can come across as being lazy in a lot of ways, and it is now up to the present generations to change that.

It becomes very controversial when one makes a statement such as the one I made above, but after viewing the 2006 statement in Did You Know 3.0 Dr. Strange's 2012 Version and seeing that 18 million Chinese now speak the English language not to mention the 300 million learning, made my assumption along with others true. Not once in either video did I see a comparison of Americans to any other culture. I also viewed the original Did You Know 3.0 and it’s even more frightening than Dr. Strange’s. I think the idea of each video suggest that future teachers everywhere but in America especially, should be well adapted to the world of technology in its old and new horizons.

Mr. Wrinkle
The video Mr. Wrinkle Awakes reminded me a lot of the comment I left on my assignment for comments for teachers. I think Mr. Wrinkle was sought in his traditional ways for a lot of things and awaking to new ways of life was a bit overwhelming for him. He didn’t really like the new digitalized world he had awaken to, but once he got into a place where he was comfortable he felt relieved to know not everything had changed.

I believe the video suggests that we all, along with Mr. Wrinkle should wake up from ancient times and get up to date with technology. We all know that time waits on no one and at this day and time neither does technology. In the video there was a display on multiple devices used today, but what was missing is how far they’ve come. If Mr. Wrinkle slept another hundred years’ and wakes up he’ll probably wish he hadn’t.

The Importance of Creativity
I enjoyed this video for many reasons and the first is because of Sir Ken Robinson’s humorous delivery of the topic The Importance of Creativity. Being creative has been a description of me, for as long as I can remember. It’s something about a hidden talent or a creative side of oneself that brings out the best in peoples’ work ethic and ability. Living in a world where education and flourishing careers are a necessity sometimes place being creative on the backburner.

In the video Mr. Robinson told a few stories of how some people discovered their creative side and how it sometimes was a conflict with their ability to learn in a classroom. He specifically spoke about Gillian Lynne, who is known for her direction/choreography of Cats and the staging of The Phantom of the Opera and Aspects of Love. In her story, Mr. Robinson explained that she had some sort of learning disorder and was looked at by a specialist to get a legit diagnosis. When the specialist and Gillian were alone together he noticed she had a passion for dance and told her mother exactly that.

A Vision for 21st Century Learning
The main arguments in A Vision for 21st Century Learning are whether the traditional way of teaching is better, opposed to a more advanced way through technology. I feel that there isn’t anything wrong with traditional teaching. It has been the way of teaching for quite some time, and many of our teachers today were taught through those ways. I can’t deny that technology has a way of challenging the traditional way of teaching, and if both were combined with a dedicated instructor it would be unimaginable.

Harness Your Students’ Digital Smarts
The first thing I noticed in the Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts video is the approach at teaching and learning. It is very similar to the approach in the course EDM310, in which the instructor does not lecture a full class period, but makes it more of a hand on experience. The teacher gives certain guidelines which help the students gain empowerment from succeeding in the tasks given, mostly on their own. These ways of teaching boost the students’ confidence in themselves as well as the class performance.

I liked that Mrs. Davis classified herself as an entrepreneur, as well as a teacher. In the video she also made the remark that she feels a teacher does not have to know it all. I agree with her; once the student sees the importance in that statement they will understand you do not have to know it all, but most importantly to learn as much as possible. Watching this video gave me insight on the idea of enhancing technology in the classroom because I did not understand the point of it all.