Additional Assignment #5

For this assignment we were asked to read four posts on John Spencer's blog. http://pencilintegration.blogspot.com/

I really enjoyed reading the four posts. He uses pencils in many different metaphors. He uses them to describe computers, children and teaching. My favorite post was "Sketchy Portraits: 8th grade Identity and Pencils.” This post is about the change going on with the students. I laughed at this post because I have a middle school child now and I know what he is talking about. I also thought the paragraph about elementary kids and boundaries was funny. I used to teach 1st grade and that paragraph brought back lots of memories. His writing is very interesting and I encourage people to follow his blog.

I did miss the computer point in the first assignment, but when I reread it I understood it better. His writing can be a little confusing with the metaphor approach.  His posts are good representations of what we all soon will be dealing with, and hopefully we can all find a way to develop student/teacher relationships that encourage learning the way Mr. Spencer has with his own classroom. 

Blogpost #13

ALEX-Alabama Learning Exchange

We were asked to review this website. ALEX has many different websites available to teachers,students, and administrators in the state of Alabama. It has links to the description of the course of study expected of students grade k-12. It has links to lesson plans in all subject areas. It also has the option to upload your own lesson plans to share. It has links for quality internet content for the K-12 Classroom. It also has a section on how to write grants, so that teachers can get money for their classrooms. It has a link to the Alabama Department of Education Program Websites for teachers to find professional development opportunities, teaching and learning tools, and the latest news. It has a link called Podcast Treasury. It has useful podcasts in a variety of subjects. It has one more link called ALEXville, and this link brings you to MORE useful information. If you click on the globe it brings you to the ALEX blog. If you click on the individual houses it brings you to more websites.
ALEX is full of information for teachers. I will definitely add this to my PLN.

We also had to review the ACCESS Distance Learning website. 


Let me just say WOW! Never new this existed and what a great opportunity for students to earn extra course work or take classes not offered at their particular high school.The students are able to take classes via the web.

This is what I cut and pasted from the website.

WHAT ARE THE KEY COMPONENTS OF THE ACCESS DISTANCE LEARNING PLAN?
The ACCESS DL plan provides Alabama students with access to quality instruction and coursework by blending:
• Rigorous Web-based and Interactive Videoconferencing (IVC) courses taught by Alabama certified and highly qualified teachers
• A technical infrastructure to deliver approved Web-based courses and connect IVC labs via a statewide network
• Three regional support centers to hire, train, evaluate, and support e-teachers
• Statewide coordination, scheduling, and support for distance learning
WHAT IS THE GOAL OF ACCESS?
The goal of ACCESS is to continue to meet objectives of the ACCESS plan, expanding the availability of ACCESS Distance Learning to all public high schools in the state.
- Provide access to advanced diploma courses.
- Provide access to additional course offerings.
- Provide access to Advanced Placement and dual enrollment/dual credit courses.
- Provide access to remediation and supplemental resources.
- Leverage existing resources and distance learning offerings.
- Provide teachers with additional multimedia and tools to enhance instruction.
- Provide access to courses and resources through the Alabama Supercomputer Authority statewide network infrastructure assuring quality of service delivery.
- Utilize outside evaluation to assess weaknesses and strengths of the program in order to make appropriate adjustments to the implementation of the objectives of ACCESS.

Project #15: Book Trailer "A Guest is a Guest" by John Himmelman

Project #15: Book Trailer "The Hoppameleon" by Paul Geraghty

Final Project Update

Image via Wikipedia

I am in a group with Ellie Irish-Jones and Courtney Bellais.  We are going to do a rap video about EDM310, to the beat of the song "I Love College." We will sing about all the fun stuff we enjoyed in EDM310. 

Form Results Project #6

I forgot to ask for the first and last name of the people I surveyed. Thankfully,I asked for contact information. By doing this, I had emails and phone numbers to contact people wanting to join my club. I had 14 students to fill out my form. I liked this Google form. It helps to calculate outcomes really quick.
It was interesting to see what type of genre everyone is interested in reading. Romance won and Realistic Fiction no one said they liked it.
Meeting date could possibly be on Thursday or Saturday, it was a tie. 

Blog Post #12

Students at Kearns High School in Utah check out their new iPods

 http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50618043-76/students-ipods-kearns-ipod.html.csp
This article is  about the kick off of iSchool Initiative in a Utah school. I think this should be part of a blog post for next Spring.
I want to follow this high school and see their progress. I plan on adding them to my PLN.

Blogpost #11

Image via Wikipedia
I really enjoyed this video. I am so excited about getting into a classroom and using Ms. Cassidy's computer center idea. I also liked how she said you should use the computer for what you are most interested in. I would love to do a yearbook video for the entire school year at whatever school I am at. I think that would be cool and we could also raise money for the school with the end of the year video. I have Windows Live Movie Maker on my PC and didn't even know it until today. I plan on using it to make my Book Trailer for class. I played with it for about 3 hours today, trying it out. My kids think it is "AWESOME!"
The questions the students asked were interesting and very good questions. I liked how Ms. Cassidy gave the Phys. ED student ideas of how to use phone texting to cancel and reschedule practices. We all know that most teenagers have cell phones, so why not use the technology for this purpose. I also liked the topic on cheating. I really liked how she emphasized the difference between collaborating and cheating. If you put it in your own words it is collaborating. 
She also discussed protecting children.  I really liked her idea of not tagging photos with names and only using first names. I would probably just let them make up fake names; favorite super-hero, movie star, or character names. She also discussed appropriate blogging comments. Only comment nice stuff and do not ever say anything mean. I know that little girls are caddy by the 4th grade, sometimes earlier. Encourage positive comments all the time. I am so excited to incorporate all the things I am learning about in the class and the interview with Ms. Cassidy just made me even more excited.

C4K #3-#7

I did not realize that we had to create a single blog for each additional "comments 4 kids." I already commented and posted something about blog #3. It was on Christopher Columbus. Check it out. http://solanololaedm310.blogspot.com/2010/10/c4k-3-assignment.html

#4 C4K was a child named Nicole in New Zealand. She restarted her blog page and wrote about why she chose the theme of her background for her blog page. I commented and told her that the one she chose was the first one I chose. It had dandelions on the page. I told her that I did not know the names of those flowers until I googled them. I just know as a child (and as an adult) I like to blow those flowers and watch them float in the air.


#5 I did not realize there was a double blog post on this assignment. I only commented on Shaw Shaw and missed Alan B. I did go back and comment on Alan B's blog. He was having a bad morning because his little brother woke up at 5:30am scared and he couldn't go back to sleep. I just told him I wake up at 2am all the time and cannot go back to sleep until around 4 am.  Then I am tired the rest of the day because my oldest child is in middle school and he gets up at 5:30am. I usually am tired the rest of the day.
I liked Shaw Shaw's thoughts on oppressed women. I read most of the comments (that other students of EDM310 posted) and I was interested in what Amani Alloul had to say "The primary goal of Middle Eastern women is to get married and serve their husbands." I wonder if she truly believes this now that she has had the "privilege" to receive an education. I had the opportunity to interact with women like Amani this past Spring while going to the gym. It was an all woman's gym. They would come in with their head wraps on and full body coverings then immediately strip down to work out. One lady was so delightful and cheery. She cut loose in the gym dancing and getting into the workouts. It was interesting to see this side of her and I wondered if her life was different at home. I never had the opportunity to get to know her because the gym shut down shortly after I joined.

#6
I am something that comes out at night.

I am up high in the sky.
You can see me.

I am not on fire like the other things you see in the sky.

What am I?

#7 What would you name this picture? Alba Shunkshark was asking us to help her name her picture that she took on the USS Alabama Battleship. She is a student at Alba Middle School here in Mobile, Alabama. I told her she took a great picture and she should name it "How many circles?"

Teach Someone Project #14

I decided to do a demonstration on how to create a Google document. Many people including myself, forgot to add the first two columns that say first and last name. I really enjoyed using screenjelly.

Summary of C4T #3

I was assigned to Kelly Hines a forth grade teacher in Washington, North Carolina. Her blog is called Keeping Kids First.

http://keepingkidsfirst.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/reflections-on-a-lecture/
The first post I read was her reflections on a lecture she attended. I agreed with her #1 point about meeting the child’s individual needs and making them feel valid. Children need to know that they have made a difference. We need to make sure every child is feeling a sense of accomplishment everyday when they leave our classroom. The #2 comment was funny. She asked the students if they heard of a friendly letter. And the students responded with alphabet letters that they thought to be friendly. We always have to be on a look out for these types of answers to questions we ask.


I also agreed with point #3. This is what I wrote....I think technology is the way and I am wondering when our schools here in Alabama will catch up. They have started to install smartboards, but after watching a video that Dr. Strange had us watch for our upcoming demo on smartboards, I noticed children had a laptop that corresponded with the smartboard to make the lesson taught interactive. Well, I can say the schools my children are at are so excited about their new expensive smartboards, but the interactive laptops are not in the classrooms. So, now I just view the smartboard as a very expensive chalkboard. Children can come up to the smartboard to answer a question just as well as they could answer the same question written out on a chalkboard. So, where is the technological advancement if you have a smartboard without all the tools needed to make it fun and interactive for the children?

http://keepingkidsfirst.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/the-sum-of-the-parts/

In my second post, I told her that I am still not sure I am understanding PLNs. I really do not understand nor do I have enough time to follow so many blogs and twitters. I could relate to her loss of her PLN in a different way, because I lost my PLN related Mom's group. This is what I wrote....
I used to attend meetings and get together with other stay at home mothers. We would discuss the pressures of raising children and also study bible scripture that helped us get over the daily struggles of motherhood. Our children are grown and school age so, we do not see each other much anymore. It is sad when I see a mother in the hallway at school, and we just say “Hello, how are you?” Answer with “fine,” then move on. We used to sit and talk and now life is too busy for that. Just the other day one mother contacted me on facebook. She left me a note about being able to catch glimpses of my life through facebook. It makes me sad to know that we are too busy to sit and have a cup of coffee and talk about life.

Blogpost #10

Morgan Bayda

We were asked to read Morgan Bayda's blog post and watch Dan Brown's video http://morgbayda.wordpress.com/2010/02/24/an-open-letter-to-educators/
This is the comment I left for Morgan Bayda:
Hello, I am taking EDM310 with Dr. Strange. I am not a typical college student, I am taking this course for professional development. I graduated over 13 years ago. I think the college experience has changed since I was in school. I am assuming the classes Dan Brown thinks are boring are prerequisite classes which require memorization of useless facts. Facts that I will have to teach to the next generation of children. Hopefully, I will be able to use some of my knowledge from this class to introduce some of these useless facts in a more interesting way. Timetoast is a a great way to learn about facts. Children can create timelines about facts in history. They could learn so much researching dates, pictures, and articles to add to their timelines. I do not see this class, EDM310, as a typical college class. This technology class was not around when I was in school. Technology was just taking off when I was in college.

I read some of the replies and Nathan Lowell talks about credentials. Most jobs require credentials in order to even be considered for a position. I know for a fact that the Mobile County School System will not even look at your application if you do not have your valid teacher certificate. Where as, years ago I could have taught in Louisiana on what they called a Temporary Certificate until I became certified. That is why I am back in school taking three classes and I will soon take the content knowledge part of the praxis, which was not required 13 years ago. Most jobs require you to have some knowledge or experience in the field you are applying for.

Dan Brown may be right that school is boring, but I am not sure dropping out is the best answer. Yes, some of your millionaires of today are drop outs, but unless you have a big idea I suggest you stay in school.

Don't Let Them Take Pencil's Home by: Tom Johnson

I enjoyed reading this blog. I know that educators are pushed to get high test scores by administration. I am glad that this person found a way to focus on the solution instead of the problem. If students play games, write stories, or draw doodles with pencils; these are all forms of learning and being creative. Giving a child a pencil with options is better than taking the pencil away.

Two Questions That Can Change Your Life  By: Daniel Pink

This was a really hard assignment. My sentence would be "I plan on creating a creative and motivating learning environment that will encourage my students to become life long learners."
 
Was I better today than yesterday?
I think after every lesson we create and teach, we should use this question to evaluate ourselves.

Additional Assignment #3

Sir Ken Robinson



The most important point of this video to me was the reality of the longitudal study and the over medicated children. Sir Ken Robinson tested 1500 kindergarten's divergent thinking and 98% scored at genius level. They tested them 5 years later and the level dropped and five years after that it dropped again. He believes that this happened because the children were educated. I agree with him.
I agree with him also on the point that children are being over medicated. I know of several children that are medicated and the one that most outraged me so far is one that I know of in kindergarten. His mother's excuse for medicating him was because he was not sitting still and focusing in preschool. The preschool teacher did not even complain about it. The mother took it upon herself to get the medication for her child because she was scared the child would fail kindergarten due to lack of focusing in preschool. Now I will admit the child did seem like he was in his own world most of the time, but really does he need to be medicated at such an early age!!!!
What can we do to address the issues he is raising in this video? Not sure really. We could stand up to the education system and say no more boring material! Give the students laptops, so we can use our smartboards effectively (since the money has already been spent on the boards). Let me teach the material in a creative way, instead of having to read verbatim what is written in the teacher's manual. Ask to use computers and technology to enhance the learning experience. I have heard that there are some schools here in our county that do not allow art in the classrooms. Plenty of them are telling teachers no phone usage. I know there are some teacher's who abuse phone usage, but if it was being used to benefit the learning experience then why not allow it. There is so much that needs to change with our education system, but where do we go to address this situation and get the changes made?
I loved this video. If I worked on a project like this I would want to be the artist.

Skyping With The Hatfield's

Blogpost #9

"What I've Learned This Year" by Mr. McClung
Mr. McClung is a first year teacher and he wrote a self reflection about his first year teaching.

Reading his blog post brought back memories of my first year as a teacher.  I remember writing out my lesson plans and wanting them to be perfect.  A few would go well and then there were those that just flopped. Then I realized OKAY things happen and there is not much I can do about it. There is never one perfect lesson. There is always room to improve.  As a teacher you do need to know how to just go with the flow and make the best out of everyday.  Like he said keep a smile on your face!

He brought up the point of communication. The school I first taught at had a big problem with this. It could have been because the grade levels were so big and most of the teachers had been there for years and were set in their ways. I started out as an aide half way through the school year. After two months of getting to know all the second grade teachers, one second grade teacher left. I received the opportunity to take over her class. I finished out the year. Over the summer I was offered the second grade position and I accepted.  I knew all the teachers and they were very helpful.  Two weeks before school started, I was asked to teach 1st grade instead. I said "Sure!" No way was I going to say no. I wanted to teach and I was on board for anything. Well, I did not realize what I was getting in to. It had nothing to do with my class or teaching 1st grade it all had to do with lack of communication between the 1st grade teachers. There was 12 of them and none of them got along. None of them were willing to help me out if I had a question. They all did their own thing and there were some well established clicks. I was never really sure if I was on track and we had five readers to go through. I finally said this is enough and started to ask the 1st grade teacher next door to me if I was doing the right things.I wanted to make sure I was on track. I did not want to get half way through the year and only be in the second reader, when maybe I was suppose to be in the third reader. It turned out that this teacher was new to this school too. She did her own thing only because the other teachers did not talk to her. We bonded that year and had a really good year. My advice to you as a first year teacher, if the teachers are not communicating with you or taking interest in you then make them! You need to have a good rapport with them, even if it is just one of them.  The first year is a tough one but you will survive, but you do not want to go it alone.

Julia and her finger painted crab. Lila (my youngest) in the background.

Mr. McClung also mentions for us to be reasonable. He just says not to set your expectations too high and to remember we are dealing with children.  This is so true. Recently, I went in and did an art activity with my daughter's kindergarten class. I got the idea from my Art class I am taking this semester. We met a blind artist,Ricky Trione and he drew sea life for us to finger paint. Well, I decided to draw sea life for her class and let them finger paint. I gave them a dot of red, blue, and yellow and explained to them the directions. Do not mix the colors together on your plate (you can blend them on your picture), only paint with one finger and use the baby wipe to clean your finger before you dip into another color. Two simple rules...well REMEMBER this is kindergarten. My daughter knew the rules, we practiced the lesson at home. By, the end of the lesson we had some who were at their tables mixing all three colors and making black sea life. Some were painting other things besides their sea life and there were some who just enjoyed putting every single finger in the paint and really making a mess. Well, this is art. It is suppose to be messy. Their sea life turned out beautiful, even the black ones. Even though it took forever to clean up there mess, I was proud every time I walked down their hallway and saw their pictures. I wish I would have thought to bring a camera and take a picture of all of them.

Mr. McClung also mentions not to be afraid of technology. Even though I survived my first year teaching, I also had my first child that year. I decided to stay at home and raise him. I have not taught in 11 years. I took this class to reinstate my teacher certificate. I was told that I should take this class that it was one of the best at South. Well, I was a little nervous but I am really enjoying it. I am learning a lot about technology.  I have a laptop with a camera on it and never new about Skype. I love Skype. I will have to buy my parents a camera this Christmas for their computer so they can see my children everyday. They live two hours away and we do not see them often. Skype is a great way for them to see the children and talk to them.
I really enjoyed reading Mr. McClung's reflection.

Smartboard Instruction Project #13

Blogpost #8

The Schools of Tomorrow


     In this video, Dr. Richard E. Miller explains how writing has changed over time. Writing was once paper and pencil, and information stored in books and magazines. Now it is multimedia. Information is all over the web. He showed us how he was able to do all his research for an article he put together and never had to step foot in a library. I never go in the library anymore to do research. I only use the computer. The only time I step foot in a library is to take my children once in a while to check out a book, or check out a book of leisure for myself.     
     Dr. Miller points out how we can communicate and get information instantly from across the globe.  Information is constantly being updated on the web. Newspapers are on the web. You can watch news broadcasts on the web. It is amazing what you can find on YouTube. Dr. Miller posted a publication on YouTube and received 9000 views within 3 months. He explains if he had written it down into text, then it may have gone into publication two years from now.
     Technology is advancing. I can remember having to write papers when I first started college and now all we do is type. I took a typing class in high school in 1989. Typing was not offered in my middle school, just high school. Today's children need to take a typing class at least by 6th grade. My son is in 6th grade. They are requiring him to type papers and they have not taught the basics of typing. He holds his hands wrong on the keyboard and even though he knows the general area of where the letters are he still struggles. We searched the web and  found a free tutorial typing program for him to practice on. Now we need to get him to use it. My son's school has also downloaded all his textbooks to disc, so he does not have to tote the heavy textbooks back and forth. He loves being able to use his laptop for homework. He is always on his laptop. He is definitely becoming a multimedia student.
    One more thing that Dr. Miller mentioned was how we need to share our ideas and use others ideas to create. I think we have done this all along even with hard copy text. Ideas and information is in abundance on the web. When planning most of my themed birthday parties, I Google ideas all the time. Some of the ideas I come up with on my own. Most, though, are ideas I have found on the net. It is important as educators to share ideas and use ideas of others. I remember when we visited Mrs. Stevens for our podcast presentation, she had mentioned when she first was trained for Smartboards she wanted to create all her lessons on her own.  Then, she found a site with all the ideas already created. She decided no since in being stubborn and wanting to do it all on her own. Instead, she downloaded the already prepared lessons and slightly changed them to her style.

The Chipper Seriesand
EDM310 For Dummies

The Chipper Series is a short movie created to show what happens when someone procrastinates. I thought this was a comical video. Chipper's idea of procrastination: "Turn your work in late and it is still on time." This video just shows us how as educator's we need to make sure we turn our work in on time, show up on time, and be present as much as possible. WE have to be responsible! The adventure just keeps getting worse and worse. She fails as an educator, as a waitress, and cannot find a job. Chipper finally has an epiphany as a garbage collector and realizes she needs to do better.
EDM310 for Dummies was funny, also. It showed how procrastination makes us frustrated and then causes us to fall behind. I do try not to procrastinate in this class. I try to do a little a day because waiting to the last day does stress me out.
Critiques of Smartboards

Michael Staton, Why Smartboards Are A Dumb Initiative
Bill Ferriter, Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards
     Both of these articles, say why they do not like smartboards. They both argue that smartboards do not make learning any more effective. Ferriter said "They are tools that do little to promote independent discovery and collaborative work? Sure, you could argue that when used as an instructional center, whiteboards become more interactive, but that is one really expensive center, don’t you think?" Teachers are in control even though the boards are suppose to be interactive.
     Again, when we did our smartboard interview with Mrs. Steven's she showed us how the smartboard is interactive. She told me that her children love using the board. They love touching it. I experienced this excitement first hand when I subbed at a local school. The children loved going to the board to do the interactive lessons. They enjoyed using the magic pen. I enjoyed a lesson that Dr. Baggett did in my Art Class with the smartboard. She downloaded a podcast on Salvador Dahli's "The Persistence of Memory." I liked how she circled the parts of the painting and the smartboard put a spotlight on the circled piece, or she drew a square and it enlarged the area the podcast was talking about. It was a cool way to display and focus on the parts being mentioned instead of just pointing at them in the picture with a pointer.
    Dr. Strange commented on one of my blog posts before stating that he would prefer that schools spend money on the Ipod touch or Ipad because these are tools that are used directly and regularly by the students. I would love to see this also, but I am still skeptical about the idea because what if the child loses the Ipod or Ipad. Who will replace it?  Will the tools only be used in school and not be allowed to be removed from the school. If they were never removed, then I could see this idea taking off. It would make learning more meaningful and interactive for the student.
     I am on a fence with both of these articles. I really need to see more of what the smartboard and the Ipad has to offer, before I can agree with the articles and Dr. Strange. I really like what I have seen of the smartboard so far and I am interested in learning all it has to offer. The Ipad, I have not seen in action accept for one of the videos we have watched and I did not understand the whole idea of the Ischool Initiative.

Short Movie Project #11

 

Reading of "When The Rooster Crowed"
Author: Patricia Lillie
Reading done by: Lola Solano
Listener: Lila Solano
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6OtU2Zu13Q

Project #9b Timetoast Timeline

Additional Assignment #2

Image by UOC_Universitat via Flickr 1. What do you think? If learners are motivated, can they teach themselves? Yes, I think anyone that is willing to learn has the ability to do so.
2. If those motivated learners are kids, can they teach themselves? Yes, I do believe that if the motivated learners are kids, they can teach themselves. Sugata Mitra dropped computers in slums in different countries and left them there. When he went back 2 months later the children had learned how to operate the computers by themselves, with no guidance. Then he skyped with an Italian class.  He gave them something to look up and timed them to see how long it took them to figure out the activity. They became better and better each time. I think children can teach themselves but they need teachers to guide them and make sure they are learning what needs to be learned.
3. What conditions are necessary for kids to teach themselves? For anyone to teach him or herself? This video really is an eye opener. Mr. Mitra put computers in slum cities inside cemented walls. Some were just on blankets on the ground. So, as far as conditions as long as you have the motivational tool the children will learn no matter what their living circumstances are.

4. What role do computers and internet access play in the process? Computers combined with internet access play a huge role in education. You can find so much on the internet to enhance learning.
5. What role does motivation, a desire to learn? Motivation is the key to any learning experience. You have to spark the interest in material so the learner will want to continue finding information.  Without the spark there is no light.
6. What roles do a problem, a question or multiple problems or questions play in the process? Without the questions to spark the interest, then there would be no desire to learn the material. Guidance is the key. You can use computers for learning but you still need the guidance to make sure you are learning the appropriate material.
7. How do you motivate someone to learn? You motivate someone to learn by presenting the material in a question format and then the learner can solve the problem. 
8. How are you motivated to learn? Using the internet motivates me to learn. I am always looking for some new project to do or cake to create. Without the internet, I would have to resort to cake decorating books or buying magazines. 
9. Can anyone who is not motivated to learn learn? No, I really think you have to have a reason to want to learn. When those computers were put in those towns, that was the motivation. It was something new, something different. Those children were curious. They played around with the computers until they were able to figure them out. Even though no one said this is how you do it, they were still able to figure out some things on their own.
10. Do you teach yourself? When? Why? I do teach myself. Anytime I read a book or watch a video for this class, I teach myself. Uploading that podcast was very stressful. I finally figured out how to upload it to a host then add it to my blog. It took a while to do it but I can say I did it and I did it without any help.
11. What role does a teacher (either answer generally or use a specific example) play in your learning? Teachers are the guide to good learning. If Mr. Mitra did not ask the Italian class to look up certain things then they would never have learned the material presented without the teacher watching over them. 


12. What is the most important idea, question or emotional response you take away with you as a result of watching this video? What other questions or issues are raised by this video that should be considered and discussed by aspiring teachers? That anyone can learn if given the right tools. Most educators I come across want to be in the better schools. So, my question is WHY? If you spark the interest of these children in slum schools then obviously you can get them to learn. That is what this whole video proved.