C4T Summary Post

Jerrid Kruse Jerrid posted on his blog that an Apple iPad commercial was destructive. He states that the commercial ends by noting how a new screen allows us to be better connected to the things we care about most. The image is a video playing on the iPad of a child laughing and Jerrid thinks we should be angry at this message and unfortunately, most of us are not even aware of the destructive nature of the message and that some are not even aware of the message at all. However, I fall under the category of not being aware of the message at all. Jerrid's post completely confused me. I responded and told him that I must be missing the point as well because, personally, I think technology has come along way and only enhanced our ways of communication and allows us to share memories and stay in touch with family and friends no matter how far apart from each other we may be. I told Jerrid that I was interested in hearing more about his viewpoints and reasons why this commercial was destructive, in his opinion.

Blog Post 13

E-Media Fast It is crazy to think how much we rely on technology in today's society without even thinking about it or realizing it. I found this assignment extremely difficult because I am a huge "texter". I text all throughout the day to multiple people. It wasn't really difficult at all for me to not make phone calls because I RARELY talk on the phone and would rather just send out a quick text. My first attempt at the technology fast was Tuesday and I accidentally responded immediately, out of habit and without thinking, to a text message I had just received. Therefore, I had to start completely over the next day just from that one slip up. Wednesday comes around and I am determined to not slip up. Wow, what a long day! It was so hard receiving text messages from my family and friends and not being able to respond! I felt like I was back in highschool and was on restriction. I had told a couple of my friends (the ones I text the most) the day before that I was doing this fast as an assignment and that I wouldn't be able to receive their calls or return any of their messages the entire day and that the only way I would be able to communicate with them would be face to face or on a land line. Of course they all didn't think that I could do it and said that I would end up texting them back. However, I proved them wrong! :) Honestly, not being able to use the computer might have been even harder than not being able to text especially because this coming up week is the last week of school so I had a million things I could be doing as far as school goes. Fortunately, I deleted my Facebook account a few months back because of personal reasons but if I still had a Facebook account that may have proved to be the hardest of all for me to not access as I had developed an addiction to it! I had the Facebook App on my iPhone and I would get on there SEVERAL times within a day so I am glad that was one less thing I had to "fast" from. Another thing was the T.V. because I have a three year old little girl so when she got home from school and wanted to watch cartoons I made her turn the T.V. on in her room so that I could say I wasn't a part of that! It was awful quiet in my house not having a T.V. on in the living room. Last but not least, we have no land line telephone in our house! People don't realize how convenient cell phones are because if you don't have one and you need to make a quick call AND you don't have a land line then you are stuck with driving to a gas station that has a pay phone (which is becoming more and more rare) or going to a neighbor's house to borrow their phone (if they have a land line). This assignment made me gain a whole new respect for technology and the convenience of it. I learned that I rely on text messaging wayyy too much as a means of my daily communication. I think it would be interesting to have students (particularly teens), do this assignment as well. People are TOO relient on their cell phones, laptops, and T.V. shows and I think this is a great way of proving that to them and making people be aware of how technology has completely taken over our daily lives.

Project 10

I decided to use Symbaloo for my PLN because it is extremely easy to use and is very convenient to have all of the places I visit on the internet made available to me in one spot. I look forward to using and further developing my PLN.

Project 9 B

Project 9 A

Project #15

Project 11

Summary Post for C4K

Grace Grace posted a song by Demi Lavoto called Skyscraper. I had never heard this song before but she posted to listen to the words carefully so I did and to my surprise it was a really great song! She said that it meant a lot to her at the moment so I commented and told her to always stand her ground and to never back down. As a young girl, she will soon experience probably more than she should have to with the way today's society is so, without scaring her, I wanted to offer her some words of encouragement. I hope it helped! :) Here is a link to her blog Grace's blog. Charles is a first grader in New Zealand and he posted a video about what he might do on a rainy day. Charles said that he would use his "inside voice", read a book, or play with his puzzles. It amazes me that first graders are able to use blogs and videos and share them with people all over the world! This assures me that nothing is impossible :) Here is a link to Charles' class blog Charles' blog.

Progress Report on Final Project

I am in a group with Abby Cooke and Susie Salter. We have been using a variety of methods to communicate with one another about our Smart lesson. We have used text messages, emails, and Google Docs but mainly Google Docs, which we found easiest because we could type back and forth right away and get answers immediately. We plan to meet, in person, this Tuesday at 2pm to work on, and hopefully complete, our project.

Blog Post 12

Watch the video What do students expect from teachers? (2:36) Write one or two paragraphs about how you plan on earning your students' trust and respect. Are you willing to treat ALL students equally? How do you plan to do so? In my classroom, I want each and every one of my students to feel as comfortable as if they were in their own home. I want my classroom to be a warm and welcoming environment and for my students to KNOW that they can come to me for anything and that I will always be there for them through good times and bad. I plan to treat every one of my students with respect so that I can gain their respect in return. I plan to LISTEN to my students. I will make it known from day one that they will abide by my rules so that they will be aware of what the consequences are if my rules aren't followed. Children are more likely to abide by rules if the rules are inforced. I do not believe in "special treatment" or having "favorites". In my classroom, we are all the same. The song "Don't laugh at me" by Mark Wills, has lyrics that say "In God's eyes, were all the same" and I stand by these powerful words. Everyone will be treated the same and equally because that is what we all deserve. No one is any better than someone else is. My classroom will also be a strict "no bully zone" and I absolutely will NOT tolerate bullying of any sort. My students will respect each other and treat others in a way in which they would wish to be treated or they will suffer repercussions. I look forward to having a friendly and welcoming classroom someday! :)

Creativity and Curiosity: My Thoughts-Special Post #12A.

I don't think any one school INTENTIONALLY destroys creativity. I think that certainly there is always room for improvement on the development of curiosity and creativity because we can always get better and there is always room to grow. I think the main thing is staying focused on keeping creativity alive and fresh and remembering to make it a priority. To increase the curiosity of students, I think it would be a neat idea to have students create assignments for their classmates. This gives them a sense of responsibility, freedom, and a chance for them to feel powerful. Of course there would have to be guidelines but just think of the possibilities! Also, I think it would be neat to have students create powerpoint presentations or make posters about themselves (in detail) about their interests, hobbies, families, and dreams and have the students guess which of their fellow classmates each report belongs to. This will give them a chance to learn things about each other that they may have otherwise never learned. To increase the creativity of students, I would assign more tangible, hands-on experiments. Students tend to learn more through self-exploration and personal experiences. Also, I think it would be a good idea to have more open-ended discussions (for all ages)to allow students to really THINK and discuss certain issues/topics. Some students learn better when they hear their peer's views and perspectives on things because they can express to each other in ways that teachers can't. I would also incorporate more Art projects and more activities where the students have the freedom to come up with ideas on their own about creating the assignment (with approval). I would also encourage a lot of feedback and ask them what worked, what didn't work, and what they would change (if anything. Also, in my class I would have more essays over multiple choice because this is a method where we, as teachers, can really tell if they understand the term/concept, rather than just choosing A, B, C, etc. To increase the curiosity of my students, I would play into their interests by gaining knowledge on students' interests/strengths, and share with them new facts/information about that particular subject. I also might assign projects and have prizes such as "no homework passes" for students who go into elaborate detail on their reports. To increase my students' creativity, I plan to make them THINK, constantly. I would like to have open-ended, debate style discussions as frequently as possible, as this makes them "dig deeper" and think about the topic at hand. I will ask them WHY they think/feel certain ways about particular things/issues and I will ask them to put themselves in uncomfortable situations and explain what they would do to get out of them. During an Art project where everyone is given the exact same instructions, I will ask them what they plan to do to make there project unique and different from everyone elses. What would help me to become more creative is to be as well-rounded as I possibly can and to never stop learning. I have never been that great of an artist so I would love to gain some artistic ability. I will watch all the videos on creativity that are made available to me. I will take field trips to museums/exploreums and I will converse with other teachers/faculty members on creativity and what inspires them. Honestly, I don't know that there is anything that would help me become more curious than I already am! I have always been very curious in nature since I was a little girl, which often got me into trouble. I am very eager to have my own classroom one day and to learn all about my students from their strengths and weaknesses to their hopes and dreams. I am also curious to see how I will make a difference in their lives, because I know I will.

Blog Post 8

"This is how we dream"

Compared to Dr. Miller who "grew up in a house FULL of books", it was interesting to me that there were hardly any books in my house growing up, yet my mother has been a school teacher for over 20 years and I am studying to be a teacher as well...Ironic?
It STILL amazes me how our "workspace" has become solely a desktop rather than books, papers, and pencils. To think that we will have the ability to tell what city is the happiest in the world at an exact moment based on technology is just astonishing. In a nutshell, I think it's safe to say that Dr. Miller knows his stuff!

Carly's post was truly inspiring to me. One of my best subjects and greatest strengths has always been writing. Yet, when I read Carly's post, I could only HOPE to someday become a writer as great as she is. I did in fact watch all of the videos that she posted and those all inspired me as well. I LOVE to be inspired because it pushes me, motivates me, and gives me the drive to do bigger and better things. When I am truly inspired by something or am very passionate about a certain issue, that is when I perform my best or create my best works. I also love and admire creativity and want to be creative with each and every thing that I do. Life is too short to do the same things everyone else does. I think it is so important to just be YOU. Be bold. Make statements. Be a leader, not a follower. Inspire people (like Carly did/does). Motivate people. Encourage people. Love unconditionally. MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I like how Carly said "In a perfect classroom, students actually have to think". I think that most of what today's learning has become, memorization, is a complete joke and waste of time. One of my favorite billboards that I will never forget says "A mind is a terrible thing to waste". After all, what good is a mind if it's never put to use? Making people truly THINK is what inspires imagination and creativity. Thinking and coming up with ideas of your own can be so satisfying and rewarding so it's important that we have people in our lives who encourage us to do so.
The thing in Carly's post that stood out to me the most was when she said "You don't have to think big, just think different". I'm not even sure why but after I read that the 1st time, I just kept saying it to myself, in my head, over and over again. I love that. What she was saying is that you don't have to be over-the-top extraordinary, just be unique. Carly has a true God-given gift in the way that she expresses her thoughts in words and can make them flow so freely. I admire her for that and she has inspired me to become a better writer. I think this post is the best possible example of what Dr. Miller means and is trying to express when he talks about writing with multi-media.

The Chipper Series

I loved watching The Chipper Series because it was refreshing to watch a humorous video over videos we have been assigned to watch throughout the semester that we really have to think about and discuss. I was laughing the whole time watching this video not only because it was funny but because I have been guilty of being a procrastinator throughout my whole life up until recently when I realized that it just doesn't work anymore, as Chipper proved, ESPECIALLY not in college OR the education field. It is almost impossible to get caught up once you have fallen so far behind.
I would like to participate in creating a video about how this class requires 9 hours a week. I enjoy anything with humor and/or sarcasm and think that this would be a really fun video to make. EDM310 For Dummies was also funny because that was my exact perspective on the class in the beginning as well. It is just overwhelming all of the assignments and projects that we are required to complete on a weekly basis and it only makes it worse if you aren't that familiar with technology.

"Learn to Change, Change to Learn"

It is heartbreaking to hear that Education was ranked below coal mining. I will NEVER understand why professions who have the biggest impact, make the biggest impressions, and actually make a difference, such as: police officers, fire fighters, teachers, etc., are the lowest paying jobs. We are the ones who make a difference in people's lives and society, yet we receive little respect or praise. This is why we are a rare breed. We don't do it for the money. Obviously. We do it because we care. We do it because we want to make a difference, we want to share knowledge, we want to educate, promote creativity, inspiration, support, and love. All my life, after I would tell people I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up, I received comments such as "Teachers don't make hardly any money", and "Do you really want to be poor", but my answer was always the same. "I don't care how much money I make, I want to do what I love". At the end of the day, money doesn't REALLY matter. If you are miserable in your profession and loathe getting up and going to work everyday, then you aren't living life the way it is intended. "Do what you love, and the money will follow". I think this is a quote I made up when I was a little girl to make me feel better. Now, whether that is true or not I have always believed that happiness is far more important than being rich because if you are truly happy in life, then you have already won anyway. I think it's safe to say that this is a case where "money doens't buy happiness". I assume for some people it does but I am proud to say that I do not fall under that category. Making a difference in a child's life is far more important, to me, than having all the money in the world.

Scavenger Hunt

I researched Animoto, an ideal tool for creating videos and presentations, because I had never heard of it or used it before and was interested in learning about it and possibly incorporating this videotool into my future classroom someday. This videotool is rather simple and easy to use, especially for "technologically slow people", like myself. This tool can help bring any or all of your lesson plans to life and give them some color and excitement. This tool will help get students' attention because it is a way to interact them with the criteria that is different and new. You can incorporate any lesson of your choice into Animoto or, no lesson at all. It can just be pictures or a slideshow if you want. This is an extremely versatile tool yet, best of all, is easy and FREE to use! This videotool can not only incorporate pictures and videoclips, but also music and text. Animoto also allows you to share your videos or presentations via email, blogs, websites, Youtube, or download to a computer.

Edmodo is so much like Facebook but of course more professional and not solely for personal use or desires. I would definitely use this in my classroom as a bulletin and as a way to stay connected and provide information, assignments, lessons, and news for my students and their parents to have access to. This could also serve as a great communication and FAQ's tool. I also like how you can connect with other teachers. You can even upload or create quizzes for your students to take on this website as well as upload assignments, take class polls, and makes alerts, and notes. Also, I like how it provides a nice, big calendar so that you can keep things neat and organized because I can't live without my planners/notepads! Organization is key. You can also keep track of students' grades/progress. What a neat and HELPFUL website that could, and will, be of great use to me someday soon. I will definitely be returning to this social network.

The tool used to create Teaching in the 21st Century, was probably Animoto. Animoto offers 50% off to teachers and students. Saving 50% sounds like a great deal to me! Teachers live off a low enough income as it is therefore, any deal should be taken advantage of.

Blog Post 11

Skype interview with Mrs. Cassidy

Skype interview with Mrs. Cassidy was very inspiring to me and answered a lot of questions I had. I am glad Dr. Strange asked about the point in time in which we were watching the 1st graders because I was wondering as well if these students were nearing the end of the semester as they showed great knowledge of the technology in which they were using. I was also wondering, as Mrs. Cassidy answered in the interview, if permission was given by the parents for their children to be seen and/or interviewed on the worldwide web as this raises a number of concerns to numerous people especially given they are so incredibly young. Mrs. Cassidy had a neat idea not only just giving 1st names but also not matching names with pictures/faces. The class blog is also very convenient for parents to be able to monitor their child's progress on their own time and not have to wait for conferences, open houses, etc. I also like how the blogs become personal portfolios so that all of their work throughout the school year will be available and progress can be reported and tracked. I think it would be neat to literally watch my child improve in certain subject areas, such as writing, all from viewing a website from my home.
It was interesting to me when Mrs. Cassidy said that we would be "handicapping" ourselves if we didn't take advantage of all the technology that is being offered in today's society. That statement made an impact on the way I have been viewing technology over the past year and made me realize that since the world is changing and improving, we do in fact have to change with it, regardless of our viewpoints on change. I realized that when Mrs. Cassidy said "some teachers just don't want to change" that I do not want to fall into that category. After hearing this, I want to make an effort to be more open to change not only in technology but in other fields as well so that I can become a more versatile and well-rounded educator. I agree with Mrs. Cassidy about becoming technologically literate with tools that you are interested in such as Youtube for people who enjoy videos. People tend to learn more when they are interested in the topic at hand.
I have always been more into Facebook rather than Twitter (as Dr. Strange noted that most of the class is), but after hearing so much about it in this class, it sounds like I really need to take the time out to research and play around on it to see what it is all about. Surprisingly, I learned more than I thought I would from watching this interview.

Blog Post 10

I became an Education major because it has been my dream from a very young age not only to TEACH but to inspire and empower young children to push them above and beyond their limits. I want to further enhance the knowledge of my students to their full capacities and instill in them the drive and motivation to always perform to the best of their abilities and to never give up.
I don't WANT to just be a teacher and shove facts and information down my students' throats for them to memorize and then immediately forget. Education is LEARNING, not memorization. I want my students to obtain knowledge that will be useful in everyday life IN ADDITION TO educating them about past events and history. Education should not be limited to just textbook material and busy work. I plan to become a more tangible, hands-on educator where I can relate content and criteria to the subject matter in a way in which my students will not only be able to understand, but also enjoy. Children are more likely to learn if it is something they are interested in, can relate to, or simply be involved in. Teaching and reading out of a textbook is not Education and if you are unable to tell the difference between being a teacher and an a educator, then you are probably in the wrong field to begin with! :)

Don't let them take pencils home was very interesting to read because the teacher, unsurprisingly, got caught up in the "the only thing that matters in schools is standardized test scores" mentality. It is really sad if you sit back and think about just how many educators are out there that have this very narrow, closed-minded way of thinking when it comes to Education. Measuring and assessing student learning and knowledge can be done in multiple other ways than just standardized test scores! That's not the ONLY thing that matters in our school systems; or should I say "SHOULDN'T be"? Not to mention, since when has Hangman become a "sick and twisted game"?! Using your mind, creativity, and imagination to form and practice the spelling of words...sick and twisted wouldn't exactly be a way in which I would categorize this game? At the end of the day, educators become way to caught up on test scores that, unfortunately, their views on teaching in general become clouded and they miss out on what really counts and that is EDUCATING the students and making sure they UNDERSTAND and can APPLY subject matter when necessary rather than what their grades will be on the next test.

Blog Post 9

One of my biggest fears is what McClung discussed about not connecting with your students in What I've learned this year and having them not comprehend anything that I will be lecturing on or teaching. Another thing I am almost positive that I will struggle with as well is not having your lesson plans go the way that you originally had them planned. I am a very organized person and I like having a plan and sticking to it and I realize I will just have to work on becoming more adaptable and flexible on these kinds of situations that WILL happen. NOTHING ever goes exactly as planned in life and the only thing we can do about that is be prepared for it and not be afraid of change.
I like how McClung says "don't be afraid of technology" because that is something I have always been guilty of and need to work on. I think it's also extremely important to listen to our students because the more trust and respect we put in them, the more they will put in you as their teacher. He is also right when he says that it is never too late to learn. It doesn't matter how old you are, we never stop learning. I enjoyed reading this post because there were several good points that I may never have thought about unless I read this. I LOVED the point he made when he said to remember the reason we got in the business in the 1st place, the kids! I am guilty of getting wrapped up in being a people pleaser as well and becoming too concerned of what people/colleagues may think of me. This will be something I will always keep in mind. I love McClung's passion for new ideas/concepts and will strive to learn this technique for myself, as I am not the biggest fan of change either. I hope to be as happy with myself as a teacher as he has become someday. What a great and satisfying feeling that must be! I also enjoyed reading the section on "don't touch the keyboard" because I can relate to this. Growing up, I feel that a lot of things were basically "done for me" so I never had the opportunity to learn how to do certain things for myself and I can honestly say I wish I had. I like how McClung always wants to be challenged and never become comfortable. What a great quality to possess! I admire that in him and hope to always possess that quality for myself. I thoroughly enjoyed reading his posts and what he has learned thus far. He had some very interesting and helpful points and I look forward to reading even more of his posts.