My Final Post/Reflection

Final Project 16

Summary C4K November-Dec

Little Voices, Little Scholars
I commented on the post from 10/26/10.  It was a post from a child named Lorenzo, who made a picture of a pirate ship.  Then he added color and animation.  It is very good for a second grade level, especially since I just learned how to make a movie this semester.  Their class blog was also really cool.  


4 Shooting Stars
For this post I read a fourth grader's post about a picture that the teacher posted of a person holding a handful of slugs.  (UGH, I don't like bugs) The student was to OBSERVE-tell what they see, INFER-tell what they think happened right before it, and PREDICT-tell what they thought happened after the picture was taken.  Here were this student's answers: "I see a handful of garden slugs", "They were walking by a garden and saw slugs", "The teacher will tell them to let them go". 

Flat Stanley
Here these children read about a flat man who traveled the world.  They made their own "flat Stanley's" and named them after themselves and then sent them around the world.  The child I commented, his"flat Arjun" was really good and traveling to India.  I hope it all goes well!! I think this is a great and creative way to get the students involved.  They even get famous people to take pictures with these flat paper dolls and I am sure that it excites them.  I think it was a wonderful idea. Kudos to the teacher that thought of it!

Mrs. Haugen's 6th Grade
I read Carla's post about a book she was reading.  She is reading "The Runaway Twin" and I blogged to her that she is making this book sound so interesting that I want to go out and get it. I told her to keep up the great work and to have a great year.  I also wished her happy holidays!

Yasmine's Blog (special C4K)
She was writing about people not commenting on her blog.  I commented on her blog about her favorite types of bubblegum.  Here is what I responded to her:
Yasmine,
I am in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class and Shellie Miller gave us your page for us to blog on. I am glad she did. I love gum too!! Depending on my mood and how I feel that day I chew all different kinds of gum. At this point, I chew a lot of Cinnamon mint by that brand 5 and I love Cotton Candy by Bubbalicious!! Keep up the great work on your blog and don’t worry too much about people not commenting, it will happen.

Final PLN Report

I have enjoyed the Personal Learning Network.  I have added a lot of people.  I added Randy Pausch, his speech was amazing and one that every future educator should watch.  I also added "Adventures in Pencil Integration",  his writings and metaphors are great.  Another website I added is the YMCA because this is a great place for children to go after school until their parents can get there to them.  This place truly cares about the youth and how they can help people.  They do not turn down anyone because of their inability to pay, they just do what it takes to help them.  This is a life lesson that we, as future educators, should use and remember that all of these kids do not have parents that care.  We have to help them if we want them to succeed!!

Summary of C4T #4

Time and Technology

I posted on his blog about time telling.  He stated that we tell someone the time by saying 6:30 and not a half hour after six, yet we still teach children that it is a quarter after six. Why?  I replied back that I still think it is very  important that our children know how to use a circular clock rather than to always rely on digital clocks. You never know when you may need to know time on a circular clock.  I think circular clocks are also more useful in understanding and teaching how time works, functions and how to add and subtract time.  Check out his blog on this.

The Bad Guys Part One-Dr. Paul Peterson
This post from Ira Socol was about the people who are rooting for public schools to fail.  I commented on his blog and stated that I find it appalling that people are actually not wanting public school to succeed. He makes some great points and this blog is completely worth the read.

Blog Assignment 13

ALEX Stands for Alabama Learning Exchange program.   This is a project produced by the Alabama Department of Education, that is designed to share information such as lesson plans, professional learnings, and web resources, just to name a few and is available to educators, parents, and students.  ALEX is a great website, I checked out some of the lesson plans and they are really good.  Most of them contain life lessons and morals along with a learning experience in Math, Science, Reading, Language Arts, and/or Social Studies (there are many more than this).

The lesson plans available are definitely something I will be using in the future.  I think it is a great thing.  I also read that it is a work in progress and they are always looking for more information and advice for the website.
ACCESS is Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, and Students Statewide.  This is a program that is available to all Alabama public high school students to "create equity through additional educational offerings for them".  This website gives very detailed information for parents and students about course offerings, advanced placement testing, and the graduation exams; to name a few.  You can go the students tab and it gives a place for the parents to look and has testimonials from other students that shared their experience.  I really enjoyed this site.

Project #15

Who Needs EDM310

Additional Assignment #5

After reading his post Sketchy Portraits: 8th Grade Identity and Pencils, I would have to agree with him that teenagers, especially in middle school, they are just trying to figure out who they are and where they belong in life.  I think this is a great age to get them actively involved in school so that they will want to finish and continue their education.  The child's responses back to the teacher were definitely creative.

His next post He just likes the class for the Pencils, was touching.  I really hope and aspire to be a teacher like him.  One who can control his students, make learning fun and interesting, and be the nice teacher. Obviously computers and internet access, which is limited in school, adds to a class and makes it more interesting, however, it takes a great teacher to keep their interest alive.  It is also important to not constantly blame the child, but to see if there is something we, as the teacher, can change to help the child.  

Reading his last post, The Medium Shapes the Learning, I think his last paragraph says it all: "If I begin with a lesson plan and simply pick a tool based upon "fun" or "productivity" or "student engagement," I am running the risk of teaching something entirely unintended.  If I introduce a telegraph as a source of knowledge, we send an implied message that knowledge should be portable, consumable and in small increments. I am not opposed to adding new tools to learning.  I simply want us to recognize that whatever tools we choose will reshape learning in ways that we often fail to recognize."

Blog Assignment 12

As one of our blog assignments, I think you should ask us to tell you what we think is important in our teaching careers besides what we are teaching them in curriculum.  Such as should we mentor to them or not? Should we teach safe sex or even have a sexual education class? Also we should name a couple of things that we disagree with in the type of school system we will be working in.

I plan to work in the public education system.  At this point, I am a little upset about the new "thing" that has just been placed into action, which is that any student who makes a grade less than a 70/C can retake the test.  I think that this is an outrage. Not only is this crazy, but it is absurd and makes no sense.  This puts more work on teachers, as if they do not have enough already.  It also is just going to make teachers so called "dumb" down the test, so that everyone can pass it, so that they do not have to stay after school to give the test.  What is should make teachers do, is teach more efficiently so that they do not have to worry about the students failing their test, but what does the teacher do for a student who just does not care.  Because, like it or not, we will all be faced with those students who we know are very bright and intelligent, but they just don't care about school.
Which moves me right along to my next point of mentoring to high school and middle school aged children.  One of the main reasons I choose secondary education, besides the fact that I just do not know how to talk to small children, is because I want to mentor to them.  I know that there are those boundaries that teachers can not cross, however, I also think it is our job as educators to talk to them about real life and that it is not easy.  While they just can not wait to graduate and get out of their parents house, they don't have a clue what the world is about.  Which will carry me right into my third and final point, sex education.  I think we should have this as a class and yes abstinence should be taught, but what teenagers really stay abstinent?? Therefore, I think safe sex is also a choice that should be taught. Young girls need to know that their young boyfriends are not always going to be there, while there may be a few slight occasions in which they stick around.  The young boys should know that these young girls are not always truthful or even knowledgeable about sex and their partners.
Our children need us, teachers, to care about them, talk to them and listen to them, when no one else will. That is one reason, I think that teachers are so important and a computer could never replace them.  Can anyone actually and honestly not think of a teacher that changed their life for the better???

Mrs. Brandi Ellard, one of the most inspiring people I know!

Progress Report For Final Project

As of Shellie Miller and I will going to Theodore High School to observe Mrs. Ellard.  We are going to try to get her a blog page up and running for her class and show them how to use it. We will monitor it and show the progress and what the students like about it and their dislikes about it also.  In doing this, we are showing Mrs. Ellard something new and her students as well.  We are going to observe her giving a SmartBoard presentation and her thoughts on it as well.  We will see how it goes.

Project #6

Project 14, Teach Someone

This is me teaching my sister, April, how to use the Google Docs presentations.

Blog Assignment 11

Kathy Cassidy's Little Kids.....Big Potential
I really enjoyed this movie.  These children really knew their internet safety and about politeness on leaving comments for others.  They were very encouraged and excited about school and the different things they were doing.  Things like what this teacher is doing makes it fun for these children.  It encourages them to want to learn more and do more exploring with technology.

Mrs. Cassidy started out 10 years ago with just doing a webpage and that led to blogging and so on.  She then got federal funding so she could get computers and different technology aspects in her classrooms.  I have to say that she has a lot of drive and commitment to her students and school, since she is the main drive behind this, although she did say that she has "tremendous support".  I really like her outlook about the parents being able to keep up with their child's progress through their blog page.  This gives the parent flexibility at when they can look at their own child's work.

She is correct that we can not just do what we were doing 10, or even 5 years ago because technology is here to stay. It's not leaving and we have to involve it in our classrooms and be sure that our students are familiar with it, so that they are not left behind.  I think it is really cool that these children are able to get writing, audio, and video training.  I definitely agree that we should keep up with technology, because it is just getting bigger and better and it is not going away.   I also like the fact that her students will get on their blog from home on their own just because they want to.  That is some kind of motivated learning.  I think her positive outlook is great.  She is so motivated, which in turn, reflects on her students.

So far, this is by far my favorite post.  I think I would be mostly likely to use her ideas about blogging pages.  These would be very beneficial for my students in an English class.  I like her motivation and I hope to have that same motivation that it leaks off of me and into my students.  That is what teaching is all about, making school and learning fun, so that these children want to constantly learn.

Summary of C4K 3-7

Room 16's got Talent
I read the class blog of them talking about a bad thunderstorm that they had over the weekend.  They were very descriptive about it.  They talked about it making their little brother and sister cry, because the thunder was so bad and how the lightening was so bright that it "almost blinded him".  I told them that it was really good descriptive writing.

I read about an international child here.  She used voki and used the name sweetlollepop.  This child kept a reading log which is what he/she mostly talked about.

2017Purple
I read Abby N.'s blog about why she thought sixth grade was awesome and her blog about a story she made up.  She thinks that sixth grade is cool because she has more teachers this year than ever before and she has her own locker, which she finds is a challenge to open.
She wrote a fiction story and it was really good.  I kept reading it waiting for more.  She has a great imagination and creativity.  The only thing I gave her advice for was proofreading before she posted it.  This is a very talented child.

The sixth C4K I read was just a learning blog, in which they commented on what they had learned for that day. My student had commented that she learned it was important to exercise because it helps her bones stay healthy (she was a second grader). Here are my comments below:
Hi, my name is Tabitha and I am from the USA. I attend college at the University of South Alabama and I am in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class. I hope you are enjoying the second grade, my daughter is also in the second grade. You are correct that it is very important that to exercise and stay active. It helps with your health and keeps you physically fit, and you are right, it does help you to stay more energized. Good luck with your second grade year!!

MsN4thPeriodMath- Wilson R.
Here I read Wilson's blog about two apples that they cut into.  Wilson thought is was crazy that the smaller apple had more seeds than the larger apple.  He also said that right after they ate the apple, they took a test.

Smartboard Lesson

Blog Assignment 10

An Open Letter To Educators
I too feel that my college education experience has been very much like hers.  In one of my classes, if I even make a comment to another classmate, my professor looks at me and just waits on me to tell him what I said. I don't really understand why he does that and it is embarrassing in some ways.  This is one technique that I will not take with me as a future educator.  I am glad also, like Morgan, that I have been open to this EDM310 class, because I have learned so much.

Don't Let Them Take Pencils Home
I really enjoyed his approach to the solution rather than just focusing on the problem.  Most of the time, we usually focus so much of our time and energy on the problem that we forget all about a solution.  This message was very powerful and I added it to my PLN.

Two Questions That Can Change Your Life
I Claire Booth Loose's quote that "a great man is a sentence".  I don't know if that is all I think makes a man, but it is great motivation.  I think another great motivation question and a way to help us improve ourselves and our lives was the second question of "Was I better today, than yesterday?".   This was very difficult and it took me a while to come up with my sentence, but since we all reserve the right to change "our sentence" heres is my sentence at the present moment:
I agree with the person who disagrees with scantron testing, as I feel the students are not learning, they are merely memorizing.

Additional Assignment #3

Sir Ken Robinson: Changing Educational Paradigms
He has an outstanding view point on education and what they tried to do with it and that it was great when they started out.  However, we can not model our future and present schools on what was done in the past.  This is a great message because it makes sense.  They didn't have the technology that we do now, so how can we expect our children to not get distracted.  His concerns about children and ADHD are also very compelling and I agree with his view point on this. It does make our children seem like "ZOMBIES".  My daughter was on it for about a month, and I didn't like how tired she stayed all the time.  I don't think that is healthy for a child and the fact that she could not remember anything became a problem.  So we took her off of it and gave her different consequences for her actions and it helped her.
I also like his view on standardized testing and the manufacturing line students.  He has an amazing point that I never really thought of that way.  He is so right that some students are better with small groups or on their own rather than in a huge classroom.  Why do we think that this is the correct way of teaching and learning???
Is it because this is the way that is has always been done?  I think it's time to change, lets move with the time and stop lingering in the past!

Skype Interview Project

C4T Summary #3

The Thinking Chick
I commented on The Thinking Chick's "The Hole" blog.  Here she talked about how she and her husband found their first real estate property in October 2009.  She blogged that they had found " the crummiest ‘house’ in the best location! Our condo (The Hole as it will forever more be called) was in a short sale situation and was unbelievably trashed. But, the building was fabulous, the views divine, and the layout exactly what we’d been hoping for." She also stated that they, "were successful in purchasing our first home-from the other side of the world."  She was able to purchase her home and remodel it all while she was in Bangkok, Thailand.  She was successful in doing this by using her sister as her personal shopper, her sister's iPhone to take pictures and email them to her.  She was able to have her counter tops installed the way she wanted by using Skype to talk with the installer.


2 Cents Worth
I read his post called "Are They Students or Are They Learners".  In this blog he posted a chart in order to try to distinguish between just students and learners.  I think that this chart should always be referred back to so that we always strive to keep are students as learners and ourselves as master learners.  Check out his chart  David Warlick 2Cents Worth. 

Blog Assignment 9

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

I think it is very important to be flexible with our lesson plans, for the most obvious reason, we are working with children.  Another important aspect is to remember who our audience is, because it is very important that the students understand and they communicate back to us what the lesson was about.  Also communication is very important aspect in every job.  You must be able to communicate clearly and effectively to other employees as well as the children.   I think his most important value he talked about was keeping the children's goals attainable.  Everyone likes to feel as though they have accomplished something so great, especially children, that is why we must have goals for our students, but they have to be attainable for the students.  I also think it is critical that we listen to our children and try to help them in any way that we can, like his student said, he knew his teacher cared, because he listened.

Short Movie Project #11

TimeToast Timeline Part B

Additional Assignment #2

How Kids Teach Themselves

1. What do you think? If learners are motivated, can they teach themselves?
I do think that people, not just children, if they are motivated can teach themselves. 2. If those motivated learners are kids, can they teach themselves?
I also think that children can teach themselves.  I have a friend who has five children and she home schools them all.  On their particular program, they teach themselves.  She says that it works out fine for them and they are making awesome grades. 3. What conditions are necessary for kids to teach themselves? For anyone to teach him or herself?
I think children just need some sort of guidance in the right direction, and from there if they want to learn they will.  They need someone to care about them first. 4. What role do computers and internet access play in the process?
Computers, especially after watching this, play a huge role.  He even said that after 2 years, the children in India were using the computers for their homework and had better English. 5. What role does motivation, a desire to learn?
I think this is the role for a teacher.  Teachers are there to help the learning process progress.   Teachers should constantly motivate their children. 6. What roles do a problem, a question or multiple problems or questions play in the process?
I think questions are a part of learning and another reason why we need teachers. Yes students can teach themselves, but when they have a question, teachers should be there to help. 7. How do you motivate someone to learn?
I think as teachers, we should constantly help these students and never give up on them.  Continuously push your students to strive to do better than before. 8. How are you motivated to learn?
I like for people to push me. I also like deadlines and dates.  I think this teaches responsibilities to students. 9. Can anyone who is not motivated to learn learn?
I think anyone who wants to learn, will learn.  They may learn at a different rate than someone else, but they will learn something. 10. Do you teach yourself? When? Why?
I do teach myself things.  I have taught myself plenty of workouts and how to do them correctly.  I knew I wasn't doing it right if it didn't hurt.  I have also taught myself a lot about uploading pictures and how to edit them within the last year, just since having a Facebook. 11. What role does a teacher (either answer generally or use a specific example) play in your learning?
As my experience, I think my teachers have pushed me harder than I thought I could get myself to go.  For example, I have a teacher right now, who is pushing me to learn things that I thought I would never understand. 12. What is the most important idea, question or emotional response you take away with you as a result of watching this video?
From this video, I think I see that no matter where children live or come from, if they are curious and they want to learn, they will.  No child is incapable of success, I just think that they may have different situations which make it harder for them to succeed.  When children are given just a little bit of attention and opportunities they will prevail in ways people never thought of. 

Blog Assignment 8

How We Dream Part 1 & 2
He talks about how he always remembers his childhood with books and that is what he has always wanted to do.  He states that he wrote a speech for the one year anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting and did it all without ever stepping foot in a library.  He got all of his research from the internet and his thoughts.  He states that research is no longer like the library, in that once you check out a book no one else can get it until it is returned, instead everything can be shared from the click of a button. Also he points out that we can collaborate work with each other via the internet using a webcam.
He goes on to say that information is updated instantly. He said that ideas do not belong to us as an individual but rather as a culture, so we should share all of our information.  He also makes a great point that the limits and restrictions are placed by our own selves.  He basically states that the internet is a much faster way of getting things published rather than just writing and then sending it out.
Honestly, I am not so sure I am prepared to write with multimedia.  I think some of my future students may be prepared, so it seems that I need to get better prepared.

Chipper
This made me laugh and I like the approach to procrastination and the approach to students teaching themselves. I also like the approach to the Timeline Pilot School. Basically stating that you get out what you put in.  Great sarcastic approach as to being so busy that you can't get the work done, then that is what will happen on the job too.  Yet after everything that is obviously their own fault, they constantly still want to blame everyone else and constantly change jobs. I like when Chipper has a change of heart, kind of what happened to me.  After working in the real world and seeing how hard it really is, you realize what is actually important in life and decide what you are going to do with the rest of your life.
EDM310 for Dummies
This video explained exactly what I felt like at first.  However, after taking advantage of the labs and getting advice from other students I actually got it.  I have even helped others, I can not believe it.  Now the course is half way over and I realize that it is not so bad.  I have not made a decision on what my video will be on, but I  am sure I will have it within the next day or so.

Why Smartboards are a Dumb Initiative  
He made a great argument that most of the time the smart board doesn't do anything much different than a projector, except cost more and makes the white board look prettier.  I would have to agree with him.  This doesn't get the students anymore involved than before, its just more expensive.  Why not use that money for something that will actually help the children in their future.

Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards
He states, " They do little more than reinforce a teacher-centric model of learning". I would have to agree with him also.  He even gave his away after a year of experimenting with it, because he found that it could no more than what the computers in his classroom were capable of.  Why are the school systems spending so much money on these, and laying off teachers? These are the things that frustrate me about the school systems.  We have great teachers in there now, but we need more teachers.  And the new teachers should be technology literate, so they can pass it on to their students so that they will be "tech savvy". 

TimeToast Timeline Part A

My PLN Progress Report

My personal learning network is coming along very well. I have had quite a lot of people influence me just since I have been in this class.  I added Jamie Lynn and Anthony because they have helped me in so many ways, I can not even show my gratitude enough.  I also added the EDM class website because I have enjoyed the posts that Dr. Strange has provided.  

I have also added Facebook because it keeps me up to date with so many different things and keeps my technology literacy constantly evolving.  I added Next Generation Dance Center's website (http://www.nextgenerationdancecenter.com/)  because the owner is a very great leader and she helped me evolve into the person that I am now.  She also holds a Secondary Education Degree and she has always encouraged each one of her students to follow their dreams.  I am coming along in this class very well thanks to these people and more. 

Blog Assignment 7

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

At first I did not want to really take the time to sit for an hour and watch a man talk on YouTube, but I am very glad that I did. When he started out and showed the cat scan of his liver which had ten tumors in it and that he only had 3-6 months to live, I felt plenty of sympathy for him.  However, after seeing his take on it I was truly amazed that he was so positive and yet was not in denial. His first point is very inspiring and that dreaming is okay and important and that anything is possible and we can not loose sight of that. 
He also states that fundamentals are very important, because if you can not get those fundamentals of anything in life then the other stuff just really is not that important.  I really enjoyed his second story about the football coach, when he kept ragging him all practice and pushing him hard.  The whole time the coach was doing that, it meant that he never gave up on him, because if the coach would have stopped ragging him then he would have given up on him.  To me, this a lesson to use in a classroom as a teacher and to never give up on your students.  These children now days already have so many people who give up on them, the last person they need to give up on them is their teacher.  I love his humor about the Encyclopedia and telling the freshman what they were, because these are the students who grew up with technology. 

Randy and family

He goes on to state that learning indirectly is very important. Like his example of football.  Yes playing football is great and learning how to play is also great, but learning sportsmanship, teamwork, fairness, among many other things are the true reasons we get our children to play sports. These are very important qualities that our children will need and use for life.
He also talks about leadership for a brief moment, which I find strange that he did not talk more about it.  I think leadership is very important, especially as an educator because we have to lead these children in the right direction. They need boundaries and guidelines to follow, it gives them structure. 
As he goes throughout his speech his continuously talks about brick walls, which we all run into when trying to achieve our dreams which are there to see how badly we want something and how many times we will try to aim for a goal.  Therefore, if we give up on the first brick wall, we obviously did not want it bad enough.  This is another technique that I find important.  Our youth have to see us, as educators, constantly strive even when we get shot down, so that they will do the same. They learn by leadership and showing them what is right.
He also thinks that being a professor was one of best ways he could help enable people to reach their dreams.  I wish I could have heard him lecture in person.  He is truly an inspiring person and I am sure that he has touch the lives of millions.  I hope to become a teacher and implement these same skills into myself to inspire my students to be better individuals and students.   

after watching the video, you will know what these stuffed animals mean. 

C4T Summary #2

I commented on Mr. David Warlick's blog about a new piece of technology which he has researched, called Vizit.  This "appears to be a digital picture frame with broadband (3G) capabilities, enabling the sharing of photos across the wireless net". It is going to be used, for example, to show how students in New York learn as opposed to learning in a classroom here in the south.  While Mr. Warlick thinks that this is a new way of learning and that many creative teachers will use it wisely, this piece of equipment is nothing more than what a child will have on their cell phone and can not even compete with a laptop.  So, I am assuming, in his point of view many teachers will find it useless.  I can definitely see his point of view and understand where he is coming from.  I also think that the price is outrageous for something so simple. 

I also commented on Deneah Galloway's blog, who is currently living in Bangkok, Thailand. She is also required to keep her blog because of a class that she is in. The post in which I read of hers is called "Magic Wand" which talks about the fact that technology has come so far.  She makes a point to show how it was just in 2002 that DVD players outsold VCRs.  It is definitely amazing how far we have come.  She talks about a list called "21 Things That Will Become Obsolete in Education by 2020", which I also took a look at.  I have to agree with her that it is very hard to think that all of this can take place in ten years, but it is a possibility that it could happen. She claims that if she had a "magic wand" she would just go ahead and fast forward to those changes, however, I'm glad that she does not have that magic wand because I want to see how it evolves. 

Blog Assignment 6

The Networked Student
After watching this podcast, I would have to say that this video is telling educators what they need to do to keep up with technology.  It is important that we show these children how to work the internet to their advantage and further their education.  I enjoyed hearing what the teacher was there for like supporter and a person to cheer the students on.  I also secretly think that what the teacher hoped her students would take away from the class....."in her heart she hopes he maintains his learning network and use it to navigate his future", is exactly what Dr. Strange wants us to do with his EDM310 class. 


A 7th Graders PLE
I definitely think that she has a great outlook on this class.  She gives great outcomes of using so much of  the internet in her science class.  Her positive outlook on this is amazing and it will continue to help her grow.  In all honesty I think she knew more about the computer and internet than I do.  I feel as if we here in Mobile are lacking teaching all of this technology to our kids.  Our students should be active on the internet also so they can get as much knowledge as possible.  My question is where do we begin with our students? Do we start from the beginning, or will they always lack in technology literacy?

The Machine is Changing Us
I would have to agree with Mr. Wesh in stating that our youth now is so involved with themselves.  I love his take on "whatever", hence my picture.  He also took a great look at the fact that 99.9% of the stuff on YouTube is really irrelevant to us.  It really does make you think about what all is on the internet.  He also makes us aware that we are talking to a camera and really ourselves.  He says that we are self conscious about ourselves and being on the internet for everyone to see, and us to look back on at ourselves and a chance to be self reflective.  Does it have effects on us as people, as students, teachers, parents? I am not sure, I guess it just depends on the person.     

Summary of C4K 1 and 2

David L
About me Blog
David is in the eighth grade at Noel Elementary. He comes from a big family with four brothers.  He also has a lot of cats. He points out that he has a weakness as a student with his homework, but I did provide him with some tips that I hope help him.
Manifesto
In this activity the teacher told the students to write a manifesto of what would make them a better student.  The teacher even gave his manifesto of how to make himself a better teacher in 2010 as an example. David wrote his own manifesto and set some very attainable goals for himself.  They were mainly about his homework and actually doing it, doing it correctly and turning it in on time so he will be able to participate in school activities.  As long as he keeps his mind set, I think David will do great this year with his goals.

Blog Assignment 5

Kids in a classroom, having fun

Eagles Nest Radio and Class Blog

I watched the third grade's audio podcast and they seemed to be very informative for their classes.  They pretended to interview old historians and different things like that.  This was very useful because it showed me that everything to do with technology does not always have to be complicated.  It also showed me a way to use this in my classroom.

The Langwitches Blog

This blog is telling a how to use the podcast in your classroom and make it interesting.  I definitely found it helpful in using it as an example for creating my own blog.  However I chose to go with just audio. This blog does try to get the parents involved and show them how to do it also to keep them up to date with the technology. 

The Education Podcast Network
This is where a bunch of different educators get together and talk about different podcast that may be helpful and useful in all areas of teaching. They also talk about the difference that teaching with a podcast and what it can do for the classroom.  I never realized how much podcast can help and assist in teaching, but it does appear to be a helpful incentive.  

Project # 8

Additional Assignment #1

I never used Google Squared or Wolfram Alpha before this assignment.  This is a very neat tool to use in order to compare statistics to one another.  I has completely changed the way I look at "Did you know".  This video gave very useful evidence about technology, but left out the entire truth in everything they used.  When dealing with statistics from now on I will think about what is being said and if they have taken all information into consideration, rather than just using what they want to.
The educational implications are numerous with these searches.  Students can use this for every class they have and can edit what they look at on the internet.  It can be their choice of what information they use.

Blog Assignment 4

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please!

 I love the sarcastic approach he took with this. I have to agree with him on his take, because whether we like the technology or not is really irrelevant, because sooner or later our children are going to learn about technology.  I would rather my children be safe at being online than careless.  I think it is important that our youth know about technology and use is wisely and safely.   Mr. McLeod is an Associate Professor and live in Ames, Iowa. 

                                               

The iSchool Initiative

This student basically has an plan to save his school system by using the iTouch.  He shows that by using this one tool teachers, parents, and students can keep track of all assignments, get to any formula for math and science, see any book they need to read among many other things.  Then he says that the school could customize it by an application just for that school, showing the lunch menu, each teachers attendance records and the activities for that school. 

I think he has a great approach to our school systems budget cuts. He makes great points about how it will save money and that it keeps up with all due dates.  One of the best points he makes is that the parents can stay up to date with what their child is doing.  This alone can make a huge difference, because by keeping the parents so fully involved then it may even help these children to stay participated because their parents are continuously keeping track of the student. 

However, I think the worst part of this, is that what happens if something quits working. These students will not know how to use just the basics.  That is my only concern for this option.  But I definitely think this student has a great idea about what to do to save the teachers' jobs and could even help the economy.  

Lost Generation

When I first started to watch this I was absolutely shocked at what was being said.  However, I do believe that is how some people think.  On the other hand once it reversed and showed everything being said backwards, it revealed a more positive side.  A side in how I like to think about my life also.

I love the approach she gave of this presentation.  I thought it was so neat that everything was negative, until she read it backward and it made everything positive. 

Eric Whitaker's Virtual Choir

My first thought and last thought was "WOW!"  It is truly amazing what technology has brought us to do.  I think this is a great way for people who can not leave a place to get involved in something they make like to do.  However, what about the need for actual physical human interaction? I think that is something that can not be replaced by a computer and something that is so very important. Don't get me wrong, I think what he did was wonderful; I just think that actually being with another human being is also very important and critical to our children as they grow. 

Presentation Project #5

Blog Assignment 3

A Vision of Students Today
I do think that my college experience was pretty much the same as these students depicted it.  In the spring of 2010 I bought a textbook for a class and never opened it, not even once. Some may view this as a bad thing, but instead she used lectures, images, and power points to help us learn. However, I was aggravated that I bought a book and never used, and when it came time to sell the book back they made a new edition. Go figure.  I believe that she incorporated some technology, that helped me personally visually learn, rather than just reading the textbook.
If I could change one thing about this video it would be that he add in when I graduate college I will owe more for my student loans than I make in a year.  That would hit more close to my experience.

It's Not About the Technology 
This teacher is absolutely correct.  Unless we lay the ground foundation of learning, these children will not even be able to use the computers correctly and efficiently. However, I do know and firmly believe these children need to be educated in technology or they will never make it in the world as teenagers or adults. Her best point is without good teaching habits and our teachers constantly growing their own knowledge, our children are going to be in some kind of trouble.  Our teacher have to be willing to take in all of this technology then they have to make the initiative and go full force into learning about it, then teaching our youth about it.
If our teachers are not willing and open about their technology mishaps; how can we expect our students to be ready for the technology. Even her ending statement basically says that, we can give all the technology in the world to teachers, but unless they are willing to constantly learn it will do no good in the classroom.  On the other hand, you give these technological devices to a teacher who constantly keeps in her mind that they are learners, then there are endless possibilities that can happen.

Is it Okay to be Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
Mr. Fisch has an extremely open way of telling his point of view, yet it is the truth.  We need teachers in our schools who are willing to learn new tools to teach our students.  I do understand that teachers have a lot on them, but every job is stressful in some sort of way.  These students will be the ones who suffer if we as future educators don't pick up on the technological advances we have in front of us.
I do feel that sometimes, it is our own choice to learn more than what we may need to know about technology, but it is important that you know how to function correctly with technology.  Technology is a huge world waiting for us to explore it, and I am sure that our future students will be teaching our teachers about this technology.  So therefore, that is another reason to be open minded about constantly learning as educators.

Gary's Social Media Count
For me this means I better stay in tune with technology as it is very apparent to me, especially now, that technology will be a part of my classroom.  Our students and our very own children will suffer if every educator does not stay up to date with their technology.  We have to be educated in it, so that our students will take interest in it, because if they don't they will not make it in the "real world". It seems that our entire world is revolving around technology.

Summary of C4T #1

After reading Mr. Hadley's first blog about a conversation that was on Twitter the night before school started I knew I had an interesting teacher.  He commented on how that is the day filled with anxiety and fear for teachers, yet there were still those great teachers out there talking about how he they were going to make this upcoming school year filled with greatness.  He realized that there were other teachers out there just like him, striving to do the best for their students, which is what probably moved him to make his second blog. 

His second blog was a list of 12 items that he is going to be sure to do to make this a great school year.  These 12 items were simple things, but very important for our children.  I have printed his list and hope to use it every year as a teacher, so I can make the best of every year for these students. If you have time check out his list at the website below:  

http://hadleyjf.wordpress.com/ 

Blog Assignment 2

Did You Know
I think that this blog shows how far technology has come and how smart the human race is to create something that is so effective.  By effective I mean, it only took Facebook 2 years to reach a huge capacity to the world and that Bermuda is the number one most technological country in the world.  The internet, such as Google, is an amazing and life altering invention which most everyone relies on daily.
However, while I do enjoy the convenience, access, availability and several other factors, it is very scary to me what the internet is capable of.  It is also frightening that "predictions are by 2049 that a $1000 computer will exceed the computational capabilities of the entire human race", according to www.2curio.com.

Mr. Winkle Wakes
This video makes a very valid point that computers and technology are not being used enough in our classrooms at schools across this country.  These computers, which most everyone of these students will be using at their jobs one day, are an important part and the children do not get enough time on them.  I see and understand the point, however, these children are learning to use them at a much younger age. For example, I am 24 years old and I think I was introduced to a computer when I was in third or maybe even fourth grade.  My step-daughter is now in the second grade and she was using a computer in Kindergarten.  She came home from school one day and asked to get on starfall.com, which is website that helps young children to read, and I thought was astonished.
While I do agree that introducing computers and technology at a young age is a great thing, I also think that lecturing is a very vital part of an education.  Not every student learns in the same manner, so having a computer just gives that student another way of getting an education.  However, that does not mean that everything that we as teachers teach them should be connected to the computer, because there is life beyond technology that is just as important and sometimes even more important.

The Importance of Creativity
Ken Robinson has an amazing point of view on this which I completely agree with.  It is very important that children get out and are able to play and pretend because this is what keeps their minds active. He states that our education system puts are at the bottom of the importance list in our schools, but children need those creative arts to keep their mind constantly wandering.  He states that children are not afraid to be wrong, however, our education system is built around the idea that being incorrect is a bad thing.  In all actuality being wrong is originality.
His ideas about allowing children to use their creativity and activeness to expand who they are is a great thing.  We should not assume that putting them on medication, isolating them, or constantly telling them that they are wrong is a solution. As future educators, we have the lives of these children in our hands to nurture and support, so they deserve great teachers who can do all of that and more.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
This teacher has a great outlook on her students.  I definitely believe that she takes her students' creativity and allows them to channel it into the classroom.  She even allows them to teach their fellow classmates, as well as herself.  She had a great statement about teachers thinking that they have to know everything before they begin teaching, when the truth is we are constantly learning.
To constantly learn is a creative measure also because it keeps you alert and up to date with new materials.  This is especially true when the student's are giving us information, because it keeps the teachers updated with what the students are involved in.  These videos have given me a different outlook on technology, however I still think that our lives should not be led or lived by a piece of technology.  Life is something we should experience for ourselves and let the technology help to improve it, not make it.

Blog Assignment 1

My name is Tabitha Sexton and I am from Theodore, Ala.  I got married in April 2009 and moved to Semmes, Ala with my husband.  I have a seven year old step-daughter, which we have full custody of.  I also have two sisters, three step-sisters, and one half brother. I am very close to my mom and I adore my step-dad.  I came to the Universtiy of South Alabama the fall after I graduated high school in 2004, but I played around and did not take my education seriously. I think I changed my major like ten times, so in the spring of 2006 I dropped out and did some serious soul searching to figure out what I wanted in my life. 
I always wanted to be a teacher, but when my step-daughter started school I knew it was exactly what I wanted to do.  So I registered to be a substitute teacher with the Mobile County Public School System and found out really fast that I wanted to go into Secondary Education.  So after a couple of weeks of consideration and knowing that this is what I really wanted to do, I came back to South in the spring semester of 2010.  I have also recently gotten into teaching at the gym.  I am a certified Zumba instructor and I also teach cardio bootcamp and scuplting classes.  I am really nervous about this class, but I hope that if I keep my focus everything will be fine.