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.
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