Blog Post #16

Blog Post #5 Part 2

Throughout this semester, my Personal Learning Network has really expanded. I have subscribed to many blogs that I found through our C4T's, and I keep up with them regularly. I also comment on their blog posts, and pin posts that I really like to my Pinterest board, Pinterest: Teaching by Brooke Allen. Along with pinning their blogs, I have pinned many photo's that I find on teacher blogs as well.  While reading blogs from our C4T's, I have found countless other teachers blogs that I read and comment on. Overall, I would say that blogging and Pinterest are the most useful resources for my Personal Learning Network.

While I do scroll the my Twitter everyday, I haven't found it to be very useful. Social media has never been something that I spent much time on, and I didn't even have a Twitter prior to having to make one for this class. I substitute teach Monday's, Wednesday's, and Fridays, I have classes Tuesday and Thursdays, I babysit 3 days a week in the afternoon, I have homework, I do volunteer work, I need to sleep every once in a while, and I also spend time with my family, friends, and boyfriend. Finding time for things like Twitter and Facebook is just very difficult for me. While I have yet to find Twitter to be overly interesting and useful, I will continue to use it in hopes that I will discover how awesome it is according to Dr. Strange and many of my friends. One things that I do like about Twitter is hashtags. I love being able to see thousands of tweets about something like PLN's all by just pressing a button. I also use hashtags on Instagram. One of my favorites to look at is #teachersofinstagram.

Along with all of the tools online, I think that talking to people in person is one of the best things you can do for your Personal Learning Network. Since I have been working as a substitute teacher, I have met many wonderful teachers how are very interesting in giving me advice for my future classroom and helping me out. I have gotten many wonderful ideas from visiting their classrooms, asking them questions, and listening to their advice. I have several of their phone numbers and e-mail addresses, and having teachers just a phone call away will certainly be useful to me.

I personal think that my Personal Learning Network has expanded quite a bit since the beginning of the semester, and I hope it continues to do so. Being able to connect with other educators from around the world so easily is a wonderful thing, and I plan to take advantage of it.

C4T #4

I choose to comment Primary Tech by Kathleen Morris. Her blog post, The 2014 New School Year, was about blogging in the classroom. She started by saying that she was a new mom, and that she wouldn't be teaching this school year so she could stay with her baby. Kathleen went on to say that even though she wasn't teaching, she planned to stay in the educational loop. She then shared links to older post she had done about blogging in the classroom. In my comment, I told Kathleen who I was, and about EDM 310. I congratulated her on the baby, and then I asked if she felt she had managed to stay in the educational loop through the internet. I told her thanks for sharing her resources and ideas, and that I had pinned two of the links she shared to Pinterest. Finally, I told her I enjoyed reading her blog.

The second time I commented on Kathleen Morris's blog, I commented on her post, Blogging and the Literacy Curriculum. In this post, Kathleen explains that she has been using blogging in her classroom for several years, and that the concept of literacy education is changing as technology evolves. She says that students need to be transliterate, and that teaching them how to read and write on paper is no longer adequate. Her students comment on their classmates blogs, just like we do in EDM 310. She also uses blogging instead of unrealistic writing tasks that won't be used in the real world. In my comment, I told her about EDM 310 and how we have learned a lot about blogging in the classroom. I also told her that I like how she incorporated it into her lessons, and that knowing people from around the world are seeing your work is a great motivator for her students. I also told her I hoped that I could incorporate it into my classroom as well as she did, and that I enjoyed reading her blog.

Blog Post #14

After reading Teaching Our Children Can Be a Profession by Joel Klein, I realize that there are many problems with our school system, and how teachers are viewed by others. In the article, Mr. Klein lists several of these issues and some solutions to the problems.

Problem: Teachers need better training
Solutions:

• Better academic training
• Recruit from the top third of our graduates
• Create a 'national teacher examination"
• Require a supervised internship for 1 to 3 years

Problem: Seniority should not exist in the school system and teachers should be rewarded based on merit.

Solutions:

• Create merit based ladders to promote teachers based on specialty exams
• Grant teachers showing true mastery college graduates to serve as teaching assistants
• Provide standards to remove incompetent teachers

In my opinion, I think that teaching should most certainly be professionalized. Teachers are trusted to shape the minds of children, which in my opinion, is one of the most important jobs in the world. Teachers are held to a higher standard than most people, however, they are not well respected. Many people think that teaching is an easy profession, and I think that's where the problem starts. Joel Klein makes several good points on how we can work to make teaching more professionalized. 

For starters, he suggest that teachers get better academic training. I agree with him completely. I think that teaching is something that takes experience to become good at, and students should get more of that before they are set free in their own classroom.

Joel Klein also thinks that employers should recruit the top third of our graduates. I think that this is a good idea. Not only would it ensure that only the brightest students actually became teachers, it would also make them strive to do better while in school. I would not want a doctor who had made C's just to get through med school, and I would not want my (non-existent) children to be taught by someone who skimmed their way through school either.

Albert Shaker thinks that we should create a "national teacher examination." I think this is a wonderful idea. Many other professions take exams like these, and teachers should be no different. Being able to pass a exam once finished with school would be an excellent requirement.

In the school system, once you're tenured, it is virtually impossible to fire you. If you're not tenured, it is very likely that you will get laid off if cuts have to be made. Joel Klein suggests that instead of rewarding teachers based on seniority, we should reward them based on performance. I agree with this as well. Just because a teacher is new does not mean she is a worse educator than the teacher down the hall who has been here for 12 years. 

In the article, it says that teachers who show true mastery should have college graduates assist them with teaching in their classroom. Extra help in the classroom is always nice, especially when it's coming from someone who is so well educated. I think that this would be great motivation for teachers to do their best and it would also be very beneficial for students. 

Lastly, it said that standards should be in place for removing incompetent teachers. As I stated earlier, it is very difficult to remove a teacher once they are tenured. However, I agree that if a teacher is not performing to standard, it should be easier to have them removed.  

 I found this article to be very informative and interesting. I agreed with every point made and think that it would be wonderful if some of these things actually happened. 

C4K Summary for November

In week 11, I commented on Clayton's Blog from Mrs. Horst's class. In his post, what is a citizen????????, Clayton said he was going to explain what a good citizen was. He started with a global citizen and then said he wondered why people declared war over silly things. He said that some kids have to go to sleep hearing gun shots, and said that it would be scary. He wrote about several other things but I had a hard time determining what he was talking about. In my comment, I introduced myself. I told him that I enjoyed reading his blog, and that it was thought provoking. I also said that I often wonder why people declare was over some things as well. I told Clayton to keep up the good work, and too keep blogging.

The second blog I commented on was My Art Blog, by Alanna, who is in the eighth grade. Her blog contains pictures of her artwork, and I commented on a picture of her dog, Patches. I told her that she was a very talented artist, and that I enjoyed looking through her work. I also asked her how she created the picture, and told her about an app I use, Waterlogue, to edit pictures of my dog. I told her who I was, and where I went to school, and told her to keep posting her work. I let her know that I was very impressed by her artistic ability and that others would be too.

For my very last C4K, I commented on Justin's Blog from Mrs. DeBuhr's 8th Grade Blogs. In his post, My Achievements and Goals for Q1 and Q2, Justin talks about how he had met many of his goals in first quarter, such as making the basketball team, staying on top of his homework, and getting better grades. He also said that he got glasses and the teachers were happy that he could see the board better now. In his second paragraph, he talks about his goals for second quarter. Some of them are to continue to do well on homework and to improve his grades even more. He wants to become a better typer, and to participate more in class as well. In my comment, I told Justin who I was, and where I went to school. I went on to tell him that I enjoyed reading his blog, and that he had some awesome goals set for himself. I said that if he strives to achieve them, he should do very well in school. I told him congratulations on doing so well last quarter, and to keep up the good work!

Blog Post #13

We've discusses why technology in the classroom is a good thing, but are there any problems with it? Read the following articles and discuss what you  learned.

Negative Effects of Using Technology in Todays Classroom

5 Problems with Technology in Classrooms

Issues with Integrating Technology in the Classroom

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During my time in EDM 310, I have often found myself thinking back to my days as a student. Technology was used some when I was in Elementary school. We went to computer lab, took AR test on the computer, and would often use the internet to search things. SMART Boards weren't introduced until I was in Middle school, and between 6th and 9th grade, nearly ever teacher in Mobile County got one in their classroom. It was really exciting for everyone to have this cool piece of technology in the classroom, but it was more of a distraction than anything in my opinion. This may be because it was new and exciting, but other technologies were often distracting as well. In high school, everyone had to take Business Tech, which is a computer course. Nearly everyone in my class spent the time they were supposed to be working looking up games to play, instead of doing their work. While technology is always evolving in the classroom, I think that problems will always exist.

Negative Effects of Using Technology in Todays Classroom
After reading this article, I learned that there are several problems with using technology in the classroom. One is that it takes away from learning time. People often have technical difficulties, and this can delay lessons. In my interview with Katie Beckmann, a former teacher, we discussed this. It's a good idea to have a backup plan, because you can bet at some point your technology will fail you. This article also explains that many students have a game mentality when it comes to technology. Because of this, students can get easily distracted when using computers.


5 Problems with Technology in Classrooms
This article explained that some schools may not be able to keep up with the rapidly changing technology. It can be difficult for schools to provide computers or iPads to all of the students, or even just to each classroom. Providing internet for everyone can be a problem too. Another problem with technology in the classroom is that technology can make finding the answers too easy. There are many apps that supply quick accessible answers, making cheating possible and finding answers too easy for students. According to this article, some schools who are completely immersed in technology have lower test scores than those who are not. Teachers from these schools worry that while technology is engaging students on a creative level, they may not be grasping basic concepts such as math and English.


Issues with Integrating Technology in the Classroom
After reading this, I learned that many schools may just buy new technology because it's a good deal. Each district and school has a set amount of money they can use on technology, and it may not be that much. Good deals may lack the application necessary to be translated into useful learning. Lack of money and time may also lead to teachers not being trained in how to use the technology. If they don't know how to use it, the technology will be useless. Lastly, I read that instructional time will be cut short since teachers have to spend time teaching students how to use technology. I know that teachers across the bay say that their students know how to use technology very efficiently and that they don't have to spend much time explaining it, but that is not the case for the teachers I have talked to. I substitute teach three days a week, and I also had to get observation hours for one of my classes this semester, so I spend a lot of time in schools and I have talked to a lot of teachers about technology in the classroom, two of which are Dr. Strange's former students. According to them, their students do not know how to even log onto their AR Reader accounts to take test, even after being shown multiple times. These teachers don't seem to think that the classroom should revolve around technology.

I found it very interesting to read why technology can be a bad thing. I think both sides of the argument are very good, but I still plan to use some technology in my classroom. I think the pros outweigh the cons. 

Project # 12 Part B

Project: The 4 Seasons
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Standards: SC(K)9 Identify Seasons of the year. Describe seasonal changes in the weather.

C4T#3

Breaking Education Barriers is a blog written by Annie Palmer. For my first post, I commented on Impacting Students a Book at a Time. In this post, Mrs. Palmer wrote about how she got her students excited about reading, and their reactions to the books. She explained that after discussing the Shadow Children Series, and watching a few book trailers, her students were anxious to get their hands on a book and start reading. She explained that as teachers, we have to instill a life long love on learning in our students. In my comment, I told Mrs. Palmer who I was, where I was from, and I gave her a link to my blog. I also told her that reading was one of my favorite things to do, and that I hoped that I could instill a love of reading in my students one day like she had. I also told her that I had made a book trailer for one of my classes, and it's nice to know that they can get students excited about books. Lastly, I said that is must be very gratifying to have impacted so many children in a positive way and that I enjoyed reading her blog.

The second post from Annie Palmer that I commented on was Feedback: Lessons from the Ball Field. In this post, Annie connected feedback in the classroom to feedback in sports, specifically softball. She explained that instead of using grades as feedback, you should give feedback in the form of a verbal conversation or written explanations. She also said that praise has been proven to only improve ego, not achievement. In my comment, I told Annie that I cheered in high school, and it was interesting to connect my personal experiences to her post. I also told her that in EDM 310, we get feedback instead of grades, and I think that all teachers should consider it. I told her that I thought it was surprising that praise didn't improve achievement as well. Lastly, I told her that her post was very informative and I enjoyed reading it.

Project #10

Blog Post #12

Project #14

For project 14, we created a lesson plan for second grade English and Language Arts. Each students will be assigned a partner, and after discussing lessons on types of stories, characters, main points, and characteristics, as well as reading Officer Buckle and Gloria, each group will make a Prezi presentation. In their presentation, they must include a summary, pictures, and details about the characters, among other thing.

Rubric
Lesson Plan
Calendar
PBL Checklist

Blog Post #11

What can we learn about teaching and learning from these teachers?

Back to the Future

Several weeks ago I learned about second language learners in my Human Growth and Development class. After reading about language development and students who don't fully understand English or don't understand it at all,  I was worried that I may not be able to teach them as well as students who speak English as their first language. After watching this video, I learned that it is very possible to teach second language learners just as well as English speaking students. In this video, Brian discusses how he used Blogger, Wikipedia, and many other online tools to help his students learn things like science, all while developing language skills too. He explains that his students get feedback from all over the world, and they get to interact with people in different cities, states, and even countries, because of the internet and the technology they use in class. 

Blended Learning Cycle

I had never heard of the blended learning cycle prior to watching  this video. After listening to Paul Anderson, I learned that it is taking the compelling parts of online learning and technology, and blending it with a regular classroom. He uses the acronym, QIVER, to explain. You start with a question, then investigate, then watch a video, then elaborate, then review, and then they take a summary quiz. Paul uses technology throughout the entire process. They watch videos online, use spreadsheets,  and they can investigate using the internet. I think that using the blended learning cycle is a great tool to use in science, along with other subjects, and I hope to use it in my classroom one day. 

Making Thinking Visible

In the video, Mark Church explains how he gets his students to think of headlines for the driving question of their lesson. I learned that this is a great way to get students excited about learning something. After they create their headlines and investigate the topic more thoroughly, he asks the students what they would change about their headlines. This shows what the students have learned. 

Sam Pane 4th Grade

This video was all about Sam Pane's class creating cartoon super heroes who protect the internet from things like bullies, and hackers. First, the class discussed internet safety, and then they created their super heroes using a tool on their computers. I think this would be a great lesson for teaching my students how to be kind and safe on the internet, and I plan on using it. I believe the kids would really enjoy this lesson. 

Project Based Learning

The teachers from this video have blended all of their classes together. Instead of going to three different classes, the students stay in one class that covers all three: history, English, and technology/computer. After watching the video, I learned that this is a very effective way to teach. The teachers said that with the extra time they have with their students, they can teach them so much more. They said that the work they get is better, and that more students are proud of what they accomplished. 

Roosevelt Elementary's PBL Program

At Roosevelt Elementary, they have created an excellent PBL program that is working wonderfully at their school. They not only teach their students the information, they teach them how to think for themselves. They also promote public speaking at an early age, which helps them not to fear it when they get older. Along with public speaking, their students learn many other life skills, like collaborating with others and using technology. Throughout the video, I heard several teachers use the term, "self-motivated." This taught me that PBL can motivate students to WANT to learn, which many people struggle with. Getting students excited about learning can be hard, but Roosevelt Elementary has done a good job of it.

Blog Post #10

Several years ago, Mrs. Cassidy was presented with five computers to use in her classroom. Since she received these computers, her teaching has evolved to include technology. After watching  Interview with Kathy Cassidy Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 I have learned a lot about how she uses technology in the classroom and ways that I can in the future.

Mrs. Cassidy uses Twitter to connect with people from around the world, and it is very useful for her. She and Dr. Strange discussed how they both thought it was useless and a waste of time when they first heard about it, but now it is a tool that they use regularly. I do not have a Twitter besides the one that I use for EDM 310, and before I got that I agreed that is was useless. However, when used correctly, it can be very useful.

Mrs. Cassidy also uses blogs in her classroom. She explained that students are more motivated to write when it's not just her seeing it, but people from around the world. She has several tools on their blogs that show them how many views they have, and also where the people are from. When students know hundreds of people are seeing their work, they want to do the best they can. People also leave comments on her student's blog post, which encourages them even more.

Along with Twitter and blogging, her class also uses Wiki. They can ask questions and people from around the world can answer. For example, they asked about rituals and got answers from many people. They also got videos and pictures from a school here in Alabama about letters. Along with Wiki, they communicate with other students through Skype.

She teaches her students to say nice things in their comments, just like we learn in EDM 310. She also teaches them to be safe while using the internet. Prior to watching these videos, I worried that using the internet in my classroom would be unsafe. However, Mrs. Cassidy said that she had never had a problem with anything.

Mrs. Cassidy's students are very tech literate, and they use many different forms of technology in the classroom. In my future classroom, I plan on teaching my students how to use the internet safely, like Mrs. Cassidy does. I also plan on using Blogger to motivate my students to write well. I hope to use many of the tools that she does in her classroom, and thought the videos were very informative.

Project #12 Part A

C4K Summary for October

The first blog I commented on was Clayton's Blog from Ms. Horst's Class. Clayton has written many post since the last time I commented on his, but his most recent was the fourtienth goldfish. Clayton wrote about how the story reminded him of when his own goldfish died, and how sad it was. He also said that he made a prediction about the grandfather in the story. In my comment, I told Clayton that I had beta fish when I was younger, and I agreed that it was sad when they died. I added that it was exciting to get new fish though. I also said that the book sounded great, and it was awesome that he was making predictions about the story. Lastly, I thanked him for posting.

The second blog I commented on was AngelaN's Blog from Miss Jacklin's Grasde 5 Class. Angela write a blog titled "My Grandmother." In her blog, she wrote that her grandmother was from China, and that she loved to cook Chinese food. She also said that her grandma was strict, and would make her do things. Angela wrote that she had a special tradition of helping her grandma with the Chinese New Year, and that she had a special name for her. In my comment, I introduced myself to Angela, and told her that her grandmother sounded like a cool lady. I also told her that I loved Chinese food, and asked what her special name for her grandma was. I told Angela that I loved reading her blog, and that it was a great post.

The week of October 13th, I commented on Madison T.'s Blog. Madison wrote a post titled "How to Babysit." In her post, she gave a lot of helpful, yet hilarious, advice on how to take care of babies. For example, she wrote to not leave them with any animals because she had seen a baby throw an animal by the tail into bulletproof glass. She also said to sterilize everything, take the baby to the doctor 3 times a month, keep babies away from wires, and don't leave them alone with expensive TV's. Madison gave a lot more advice in her blog as well. In my comment, I told her who I was, and that I babysit all the time. I said that I loved reading her blog, and that I hoped I never had a baby throw an animal by the tail. I also told her that her post was funny, and that she should keep blogging because she did an excellent job.

My last blog to comment on in October was Stevenson @ PT England School. I his post, Being Fit, Stevenson wrote about staying fit by exercising. He wrote all about how it is beneficial to your body and mind to exercise regularly. For example, when you exercise, your body releases endorphins which make you feel good. He also wrote about the difference in exercising for strength, and exercising for stamina. In my comment, I told him who I was and where I'm from. I told him that he had excellent writing skills, and that I enjoyed reading his blog. I also told Stevenson that his post was very informative, and that it was well written. I asked if he had plans on being a writer, because his post was so good.

Blog Post #9

What Can Teachers and Students Teach Us About Project Based Learning?

7 Essentials for Project-Based Learning

When I was in school, I dreaded doing any project. When asked why we had to do something, the answer was generally, "Because I said so," or "Because it's on the test." I had no motivation to do the work, because I felt as if it didn't benefit me. I would do enough to get a good grade, without worrying about learning the information. After reading this 7 Essentials for Project-Based Learning, I know that using PBL is a much more effective way to get students involved in projects and learning. The article gives some great advice for creating good, meaningful projects, that students will actually enjoy. For example, each project should have a driving question, it should include 21st century skills, and it should have a real audience, instead of just the teacher, among other things. 

Project Based Learning for Teachers

This video gives an excellent summary of what Project Based Learning really is. After watching it, I learned that there are so many ways we can use technology in PBL. I knew of quite a lot from EDM 310, but this video showed a lot that I had never heard of before. This video stated that a driving question is very important, just like the article above. 

Two Students Solve the Problem of Watery Ketchup by Designing a New Cap

After watching this video, I learned that not only can Project Based Learning help students to learn information, it can solve real world problems. While most people may not think watery ketchup is a big deal, I find it very impressive that two high school seniors engineered a cap to fix the problem, designed it on a computer, and 3-D printed it. If 2 boys can solve this problem, there is no telling what ideas other students can come up with and problems they can solve, all while doing a school project. This video is an excellent example of how PBL is a good way to get students excited about learning, and how the results can be fascinating. 

Project Based Learning in PE

When I think of PE, I always picture playing sports, running a timed mile, and walking the track. However, this article made me realize that not only can you implement PBL into subjects such as math, science, history, and English, but you can also use it in PE. Along with doing physical activity in class, it is important to teach students how to stay healthy outside of school. This article explained a project where high school students create physical fitness programs for middle schoolers. It would be very beneficial for teaching students what they should be doing to stay fit, as well as promoting teamwork and collaboration. Overall, this taught me that PBL can be used in virtually any subject. 

10 Sites Supporting Digital Classroom Collaboration in Project Based Learning

This article shares many very useful websites that students and teachers can use for Project Based Learning. Some of them, such as Google Docs, we have learned about in EDM 310, but there were several that I had never heard of such as Note App, and Linoit. This post taught me that the possibilities are endless when it comes to technology you can use in PBL, and it also taught me about many of the sites I could use in my future classroom. 

I think the main idea behind all of these articles and videos is that Project Based Learning is a wonderful thing, that teachers around the world should look into. Teachers and students can teach us so much about how to create meaningful PBL projects, how to get students excited, tools you can use to enrich your lessons, and so much more. 

Project #9

Implications and Teaching Opportunities for Camera Use in Teaching and Learning

I got my first smart phone when I was in 10th grade, and since then, it never really leaves my side. I use it for calling people, texting, playing around on social media, e-mailing, playing games, reading the news, taking pictures, and so much more. People spend hours each day wasting time on their smart phones. They have come to be an essential tool for people, and teachers can no longer expect students to leave their phones at home. Instead of banning phones, educators should embrace them. They can be very useful in and out of the classroom.

One of the most useful things smart phones can do is accessing the internet. The web holds so much information, and it is always available to students. Many students don't have their own personal laptops, but most have cell phones. Letting students use their phones to do research could be very beneficial. Not only can you do research on your phone, you can also use the internet to connect to people around the world, as well as experts on all different topics. You can subscribe to news websites and get information about what's going on in your world, or you could look up videos to watch on the Civil War. The possibilities are endless. They don't end with what you can do on the internet though.

Most smart phones, if not all, have cameras. There are so many ways cameras could help students learn, all while being fun to use. For example, you could take photos of plant growth to document it, take pictures of as many nouns and verbs as you can think of, or take pictures of rhyming words. This doesn't even scratch the surface of what all you can do with a camera. For more ideas, check out 100 Ways to Use Digital Cameras, by Scholastic.

C4T#2

This week, I commented on Denise Krebs' blog, Dare to Care. In her post My World, Mrs. Krebs wrote about her picture of her world that she created on The Open University Create Your World. Her picture included many elements, some of which were a tree, wedding rings, two flowers, chalk, books, fruit, letters, and several other objects. Each object represented something in her life. For example, the two flowers represented her children, the wedding rings represented her marriage and her husband, and the tree represented Jesus, and how he brings shade to the world and stands over her puzzle piece of life. In my comment, I introduced myself and gave her the links to my class blog as well as the class blog. I told her that Jesus, family, reading, and teaching were some of my favorite things as well, and that we probably have a lot in common. I said that the website she used to create her picture was something that I would love to use when I graduate and become a teacher, and that kids would love to play with it. Lastly, I told her I enjoyed reading her blog.

The second time I commented on Denise Krebs' blog, I commented on her post, Reading About Learning, Brains and Metacognition. In this post, Mrs. Krebs discusses how it is important for children to think about thinking, which is also known as metacognition. This idea changed all of her teaching. She also discussed how it is important for kids to understand their brains, and how it can change the way they learn and deal with mistakes. She wrote that students should think of themselves as thinkers, and teacher should help them to do this through asking them questions and helping the students along. She also shared several links: Carol Dweck's Work on Mindsets, Whats Kids Should Know About Their Brains, and Mind/Shift. In my comment, I thanked her for sharing the links, and told her that I found the article, Whats Kids Should Know About Their Brains, to be very interesting. I told her that I thought it was a wonderful idea to teach students about their brains, and that it would motivate them to do better. I really enjoyed reading Denise Krebs' blog.

Blog Post #8

What can we learn about teaching and learning from Randy Pausch?

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture holds so many wonderful life lessons. Personally, I was reminded that I need to be thankful for every day I am given on this earth, to love those around me, and to dream big. I also learned several things about teaching and learning.

In Randy's lecture, he told a story about assigning a 2 week project to his class, and being completely amazed at the results he got. He even stated that if he would have gotten the same results after giving the students a year to complete it, he would have given them all A's. This is a great example of how students will go above and beyond what you expect of them. The instructions for this project were very vague, and there were only two rules. Leaving so much room for the students to do whatever they want gives them the opportunity to be imaginative, think critically, and surpass expectations. I plan to use this in my classroom through Project Based Learning. Randy also talked about how he had a professor who pushed him, and helped him to become successful. A teacher plays a very important role in many children's lives. You can either push your students to be the best they can be and help them to get there, or accept mediocre work and not expect great things. Randy's professor is a great role model for all teachers. Educators should push students to succeed, and help them in any way that they can. I hope that I can inspire my future students like Andy was inspired.

Not only did I learn several things about teaching from Randy, I also learned about learning. Randy discussed "brick walls" several times throughout the lecture. Brick walls are problems you face when trying to achieve somethings. After listening to Randy talk about finding ways around these brick walls, I learned that life doesn't always give you the easiest hand, and you have to learn to work with what you get. Life is a never ending learning process. People are always learning, and you need to welcome all opportunities to gain new knowledge.

This lecture was very interesting, and it really opened my eyes to how important it is to enjoy today and spend time with those you love. You never know when you will lose someone or be the one who is lost. It is a great lecture for anyone to watch, but as a future educator I really appreciated many parts of it.

Project #7 Part B

Parent and Student Videos:

Project #13

Our group chose to create a lesson plan about the Temperate Forest. Each day, the class will learn about a new topic concerning the forest: Plants, animals, weather, ways to conserve the forest, and the location. Each child can chose two topics from the 5 listed, and create a Popplet about them. 

Checklist

Rubric

Lesson Plan
Calendar

Blog Post #7

How do we all become learners?

Before taking EDM 310, my experience with Project Based Learning was nonexistent. Sure, I had done projects before, but they always came after the lesson. Before I become a teacher, I have a lot to learn. I want to learn how to use technology more effectively and how to incorporate it into PBL lessons, which this class has helped me with so much already. I also plan on working on how I ask questions. I tend to ask close ended questions more often than open ended questions, so I want to improve my question asking skills. I don't think I will ever stop learning how to be a better teacher, so these are just a couple of the things I want to work on. I also think I have many strengths that will help me through my career. I am patient, and willing to learn knew things. Most importantly, I love kids, and am excited about learning.


How to make an audio QR Code.
This video explained how to make an audio QR Code, which I didn't have any idea how to do. She explained that you can use this for many things in the classroom. For example, some of the kindergarten teachers at her school made audio QR codes for the books their classes are reading. The students can then listen to the books before reading them.

iPad Reading Centers
From this video, I learned that students can record themselves reading on an iPad, and listen to it afterwards to self check their reading. This is a great strategy to help students improve on fluency. I would love to have this reading center in my classroom when I become a teacher.

Popplet with Ginger Tuck
This video explains how to use Popplet, which is a tool used for Project Based Learning. Ginger Tuck uses Popplet as one of her learning centers, and her kindergarten class can use it on their own. This video is a great example of how students are capable of using technology without hours of instruction. Through Mrs. Tuck's Popplet center, her students can practice their reading skills, typing skills, and learn how to use technology more effectively. This would be another great tool to use in the classroom.

AVL and Kindergarten Students
This video explained that the Alabama Virtual Library is a great tool for all age groups to use in the classroom. I learned that it can be used to research projects for PBL, and it can read the information to the students, so younger kids can use it as well.

Tammy Shirley Discovery Education Board Builder Moon Project and Mrs. Tassin 2nd Grade students share Board Builder Project Prior to watching these videos, I had never heard of Board Builder. These videos explained how to create a board, and how to use it. I learned that using this would be a great Project Based Learning lesson. You could use it for many subjects, such as science or writing. In the second video, it showed an example of a board two students had created. This would be a great tool to use for presentations.

Using iMovie and the Alabama Virtual Library in Kindergarten
Throughout this course, I have learned that students of all ages are capable of using technology, but this video reinforced that. Michelle Bennett shared that kindergarten students can make iMovie book trailers, and teachers at her school actually have iMovie as a learning center that students can work with on their own. Elizabeth Davis summed up what all AVL can be used for, and how well elementary school students use it.

We All Become Learners
After watching this video, I learned that when using PBL as your teaching technique, not only are you a teacher, you are a student. Your students can teach you so many things about technology and many other topics if you're open to learning from them.

Project #8

Blog Post #6

What do you learn from these conversations with Anthony Capps?

Project Based Learning Part 1: Experiences of a 3rd Grade Teacher and Project Based Learning Part 2: Experiences of a 3rd Grade Teacher
These videos gave me a better sense of what project based learning really is. Anthony gave many examples of projects he had done with his class, such as writing letters to our congressmen, and making movies about Afghanistan. At one point in the second video, Anthony Capps stated, "Never limit your students by giving them exactly what you want them to do. Create an opportunity to go beyond what you want them to do, and they will." After hearing this, it really made me think. Kids are so much more capable than many people give them credit for, and they can do more in the classroom than simple projects with an exact set of guidelines. A big part of this is student choice, which I also learned about. This gives students the opportunity chose what they want to write about or study. These videos were very informative and they got me much more excited about project based learning. I can't wait to take some of the projects Anthony did with his class and use them in my future classroom.

iCurio
Before watching this video, I had never heard of iCurio, so I learned a lot about it. iCurio is a tool students can use to safely search websites, images, and videos for educational purposes. It also has a storage component that allows students to organize themselves online, and they can save information to it. It has a directory feature that Anthony uses for historical figures in his class as well. Lastly, it has a read aloud feature so younger students whose reading skills are limited or blind students can hear the information.

Discovery Ed
In the beginning of the video, Anthony says that pairing a video with text helps students to retain more information. Discovery Ed is a resources that lets students search things such as "plants that can kill things" to find educational videos about things like Venus Fly Traps. It has videos for many subjects, and brings experts into the classroom. I think that this tool is definitely something I will use when I become a teacher. Students love to watch videos, and I think it helps them to remember the information they're learning. I had never heard of Discovery Ed before, so this video taught me a lot.

The Anthony- Strange List of tips for Teachers Part 1
In this video, Anthony and Dr. Strange give some great tips for new teachers. Anthony says that teaching is hard work, but you should let it be fun. Another great tip is to be flexible. Teaching is something that always requires flexibility. Things go wrong sometimes, and you need to be able to adjust and go with the flow. There are several other tips given, but these are my favorite. They were all great tips, and I learned that being a teacher can be tough, but there are many great things that go along with it.

Don't Teach Tech - Use It
This video taught me the most useful information out of all of them. Before watching it, I believed students would need hours of instruction to learn how to use technology. I work as a nanny during the summer, and babysit regularly, and most of the kids I watch can barely play games made for kids on I-Pads. However, they are all 6 and younger. This video made me realize that kids that are still relatively young are very capable of using technology that they have never seen before with very little to no instruction. This makes it much easier to bring technology into the classroom.

Additional Thought About Lessons

From this video, I learned that there are 4 components that go into making a lesson. First, you have to think about how your lesson fits into your year, and if you can finish meeting all of your standards. Then, you have to think about if you have devised a way to unfold the unit, which is 6 weeks or so, so that it makes sense. Next, you have to think about your week. You have to make sure you have a plan for each day of the week and that it all fits. Finally, you have to think about your daily plan, which is how you deliver it to your students.

C4KSummary for September

My first C4K was on Isaiah's blog. I commented on his post, Isaiah @PT England School: My term 2 writing sample. In this blog, Isaiah blogged that he loved rugby and dodge ball, and hoped to be an artist when he grew up. He stated that he is very creative and intelligent. He also explained that he makes videos about empathy at his school, PT England. In my comment, I told Isaiah were I was from and that I enjoyed reading his blog post. I also told him that being an artist would be a very fun and exciting job. I told him I am currently in school to be a teacher, as well. It was a very short blog, so there wasn't too much to comment on. 

The week of September 15 through the 21st, my C4K was on Clayton's Blog from Ms. Horst's 5-1 Class. Clayton posted all about how much fun he had on Dot Day. My Horst is an art teacher, and she read her class The Dot, by Peter Reynolds. In his blog, Clayton used many different colored fonts to explain that his class had many art stations to go to while celebrating Dot Day. He also shared a picture of his artwork, which was a painting of many, many colorful dots. In my comment, I told Clayton how much I loved his art. I told him that I like the colors he chose to use, and that it was creative of him to paint many dots instead of just one. I also told him that I liked how he made his text several different colors, and that I enjoyed reading his blog.

My last September C4K was on Ava's Blog from Mr. Salsich's Student Blogs. Ava's post was all about her trips to Florida and New Hampshire. She started by telling about Florida, and how her cousins and grandparents live there. Ava wrote about how she went to Disney World, Sea World, and Lego Land. She loved all of the things made from legos in Lego Land, like the mummy statues and the dinosaur in the truck. She also blogged about the rides she went on in Disney. Next, Ava wrote about New Hampshire. While she was there, she saw Diana's Baths, which has several waterfalls. She went to a few other places while she was there as well. In my comment, I told Ava who I was, and where I was from. I also told her how her vacations sounded like a lot of fun, and how one of my favorite places to go was Disney World. I said that I had never been to Lego Land before, but her blog post has convinced me that I need to go see everything there. Next, I told her I had never been  to New Hampshire along with a few other things. Lastly, I said her blog was great, and to keep up the good work.

My Sentence Videos

My Passion Is...

My Sentence Is...

Project #3 Presentation

Blog Post #5

Before a couple of hours ago, I had never heard of Personal Learning Networks, also known as PLN's. According to Dr. Strange's post, Developing a Personal Learning Network, A PLN is "those people, places, organizations and activities which enable you to learn." I think many of us have come into contact with Personal Learning Networks before, and we didn't even know it.

Most people from our generation have a Twitter. I created one several years ago, used it for a couple of months, thought it was a complete waste of time, and promptly deleted it. However, for this class, I had to create a new one. After exploring different hashtags, such as #projectbasedlearning, I found that Twitter can be an excellent tool used for connecting with people across the world that share common ideas as you, and broadening your knowledge. This is just one example of a Personal Learning Network.

Teachers can use PLN's to connect with other educators from virtually anywhere. Without the internet, you would be much more limited in who you could contact easily, but using PLN's makes it a lot easier. Something as simple as a hashtag can connect millions of people. Personally, I use Pinterest more often than Twitter. On Pinterest you can 'pin' links or photos to boards for anything, such as an education board, a fashion board, or a home decor board. You can invite multiple people to pin to one board, and everything on that board will be shared with not only the pinners, but anyone who follows it. Through my education board at Pinterest: Brooke Allen, Teaching I have found many wonderful resources for future use in my classroom. I have also connected with many educators and started following their Pinterests.

After looking over all of the resources Dr. Strange provided for us, I believe I have already started my Personal Learning Network. My favorite tool so far is my Pinterest, but I hope I can begin to enjoy Twitter more and use it to benefit myself. I have followed all of the EDM310 staff, but I also plan to follow @NYEdTech, which promotes positive educational outcomes using technology. I will most likely look through Dr. Strange's Twitter to find people to follow as well.

Creating a Personal Learning Network can be as simple as discussing a lesson with a classmate, or as in depth as connecting with millions of people from all around the world through social media. I can't wait to continue to grow my PLN, and see where it takes me.

C4T1

The first teacher blog I commented on was For the Love of Teaching Math. It is written by Andrea, a sixth grade math teacher. The post I commented on was about integers, and you can find it at Revisiting Integer Operations with a Freebie!!!. It had everything from adding them, subtracting them, multiplying them, and dividing them. Within the post, there was 2 links, both leading to other post about integers. I read all 3 and discovered that learning about integers can be a very fun, easy experience. Andrea turned it all into a game, many games actually. The students were allowed to do hands on activities, move around the classroom, and enjoy themselves all while learning. Andrea also posted links to things she used to teach her students from Teachers Pay Teachers, and other various websites. There were some great freebies in the post! I commented telling Andrea how much I enjoyed reading her post, and told her thank you for sharing all of the wonderful resources she had for teaching integers. I told her that I had never heard of Teachers Pay Teachers, but I really loved it after looking through the website.

 The second time I commented on Andrea's blog, it was on her post, Some of My Favorite Things....... Andrea owns a Teachers Pay Teachers store online, and she posted some of her favorite things she sells in this store. First, she shared a coordinate graphing picture. It would be perfect for students learning about graphing, and would be excellent practice on graphing points. Once the students connect the dots, it reveals a mockingjay pin from the Hunger Games. The second thing Andrea talked about was another product for coordinate planes. Students play "I have/Who has" while searching for letters throughout the plane. The next product she shared was instructions for a fold-up fortune teller game. It is used to review equations. Fourth, she shared one of her most popular products, a game used to reduce fractions. It is called Potato Head Math Craftivity. Next, she shared one of her most useful items. It is instructions on how to teach operations with decimals using base 10 blocks. It also has worksheets. Lastly, Andrea shared another incredibly useful item. It teaches how to tie decimals, percents, and fractions all into base 10 blocks. She finished her blog by posting the link to her Teachers Pay Teachers store, and providing promo codes for discounts. In my comment, I told Andrea that I would be pinning a lot of her resources on Pinterest to save for later. I also asked her how she created all the material on her Teachers Pay Teachers store. I told Andrea that I thought all of her resources were very cute and useful as well. I enjoyed reading her blog post and will be visiting them again later!

Project #15- Search Engines

As a student, I use search engines nearly every day of my life. They can help you find answer to questions on homework, tutoring services, or the best pizza shop. The internet holds an answer to virtually any question you can ask, and the best way to find it is through a search engine. I have always used Google, as do most people. In fact, the first thing I did when preparing to do this project was google "Top search engines." There are far more than I expected, and I tried several of them out.

Ask.com
The first search engine I tried was Ask.com. This website is best for asking simple question. Searching things like "Where did Sriracha hot sauce get it's name?," will bring you to hundreds of links to websites answering your question. You can also go to their Question and Answer community and post your question. Along with posting questions for others to answer, you can answer other peoples questions. It reminded me of social media since you can communicate with other people. Overall, this website could be useful, but I find it much easier to just google what you're looking for. When people answer your questions, you never know if they are correct or not, so this could be dangerous.

Wolframalpha.com
This is by far my favorite search engine that I have found today. I started by searching, "Who was the first president?," just to see how it worked. I love how it gave me not only his name, but basic information, facts about him, images, a timeline, and other various pieces of information all on one clean, easy to read page. I then put in the math problem 22-16. Not only did I get the answer, but it also spelled out the number, showed me a number line, and explained the problem using mats, tiles, and units. This website would be absolutely perfect to use in the classroom. Its easy enough for students to use, and it shows them so much more than something like Google would. I love it!

Bing.com 
Bing is very similar to Google. Their homepage is busier though. It has suggestions along the bottom of the page of things you may want to search, but I have no interest in that. While they are incredibly similar, I still prefer good ole' Google. Bing is gaining popularity though, and you can use it to search anything and you will most likely find what you need. For instance, I used it to search "More search engines."

Kayak.com
Bing brought me to Kayak.com, a website used for searching travel sites. This website is strictly for finding things related to travel. You can find hotels, flights, cars, and other things from all over the internet. It would be incredibly useful if you were planning a trip. It compares many travel sights at once, allowing you to find the best deals.

ISEEK: Education
ISEEK is a search engine that educators may use to find teaching resources, such as lesson plans. It is a little bit harder to use, so once again, I would probably stick with Google. However, all of the material on ISEEK has been reviewed by professionals, so I would guess that it is all reliable, good information.

Zillow.com
Zillow is a search engine used to find homes. It can be houses for sale or rent, or apartments. You can see homes that are already on the market, as well as homes that have not yet been listed. This search engine would be perfect for anyone looking into moving to a new home. I have no use for it currently, but if I were moving I would use Zillow.

Yahoo.com
Yahoo is a very popular search engine. It is similar to Google because you can search anything and find a link to a website containing answers. Yahoo has many things that Google does not however. You can do things such as shop, view news stories, or see the weather directly on Yahoo's website rather than using it to go to another website. I like Yahoo, but I prefer simpler search engines with less clutter. I only use it for news, and that isn't very often.


Foodily.com
The final search engine I found was Foodily. It can be used to look us recipes for anything. I looked up "brownies," and found the most delicious looking brownies ever. It gives you hundreds of results, and you can even specify that you don't want recipes with certain ingredients. For example, if you were allergic to nuts, you could look up brownies and select without nuts. This website is ideal for someone who wants to try cooking something new. I will be using this search engine again.

Blog Post #4

  Asking Questions: What questions do we ask? How do we ask?

I am currently enrolled in a class where I am required to spend time in schools, and I have been observing a second grade class at Faith Academy. Every time the teacher ask a question, almost all of the children raise their hands frantically and jump up and down in their chairs hoping that they're lucky enough to be chosen. Sometimes, the kids don't even know the answer, but they want to give it a shot anyways. Somewhere along the line, this all changes. Students go from begging to answer the question, to praying the teacher doesn't call on them. I know I am guilty of this, along with many of my classmates. In high school, I made excellent grades, but I had absolutely no interest in answering the teacher's questions, and I never had to. I think that one reason students are reluctant to answer question is a fear of speaking in front of their classmates. Public speaking is the number one fear in the world, followed by death. Other times, students just have no interest and are not motivated to think of a response. After going over all of the material Dr. Strange provided us, I have found that there are many things we need to know about asking questions to be an effective teacher.

Three Ways to Ask Better Questions in the Classroom has some great suggestions for asking better questions. The first suggestion they make is to plan what questions you are going to ask before you teach the lesson. Many times, teachers don't even think about this. They end up asking the same old question, "Does everyone understand?" After reading The Right Way to Ask Questions in the Classroom, I learned that this question is pointless. Students may not even know that they don't understand something. Instead of asking this useless question, try asking more specific, open-ended questions, that require thought. Once you ask this question, how do you get a response?

In the video, Questioning Styles and Strategies, the teacher uses many techniques to get the students involved and answering questions. One technique that is used is random calling. This ensures that all of the students are paying attention and thinking of answers in case they are called on. Another techniques he uses is student calling. This is very similar to random calling, but it gives the students an opportunity to make the decision on who will answer the next question. He also uses wait time. This gives students time to think and formulate an answer before responding to the question.

These are just a few things that are important to know about asking questions effectively. There are many techniques you can use to get students involved in answering question, and keeping their attention. Personally, I believe the most important thing to do is to ask open-ended questions. Making sure that all students get asked questions frequently is another excellent way to keep their attention. Students are more likely to answer if they think they will be called on in front of the class or are involved and interested.

Blog Post #3

Peer editing can be a very daunting task. Receiving criticism is never fun, and it can even be embarrassing at times. However, helping our peers correct their mistakes and having them do the same for us can help us all to grow into better writers. After watching What is Peer Editing? and Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes, and reading Peer Edit With Perfection Tutorial, I have learned quite a lot about peer editing.

Peer editing means working with someone who is your age to help them edit or improve their writing. There are 3 steps to peer editing. The first step is to compliment the writer on his or her work. This is also the most important step of peer review. We all make mistakes, and its important to not make the writer feel dumb or embarrassed. The second step is to give the writer suggestions. This could include suggesting that they mix up their word choice or add more detail. Lastly, the editor should make corrections. This could be in spelling or grammatical errors.

After looking over all of the given information, I learned a lot about peer editing. Overall, I think the most important thing I learned is to not be offended when people give you suggestions on how to improve your writing. It can be a little bit awkward for everyone involved, but in the long run it makes us better writers.

Blog Post #2

1.) Mr. Dancealot
 The central message of Mr. Dancelot is that there are many ways to teach something, but not all of them are ideal . If you want your students to know how to dance, teach them by letting everyone practice dancing. If you want them to know all about dancing, but don't care if they can do it, then teach them like Mr. Dancealot did in the video. The author of the video did an excellent job of making his point by showing the students in class watching Mr. Dancelot, but not being involved, and then showing them in the ballroom not knowing how to dance. I agree that students need to have hands-on learning, as well as practice before they will fully understand something. It is so much easier to learn something, especially things like dancing, when you actually get a chance to try it. 

2.) Teaching in the 21st Century
Roberts believes that teaching in the 21st century involves teaching students how to use technology to find information. There are so many ways students can get information. They have access to internet virtually all of the time, so they have information about anything, anytime, anywhere. He states in the video, "Teachers are no longer the source of knowledge, we are the filter." He thinks that teachers should move towards teaching students how to find reliable information, instead of teaching them the actual information. Roberts thinks that tools such as Twitter, Wikipedia, Facebook, Blogs, and Google could be very beneficial to students and that they could completely change the way we teach students. I agree with Roberts on some things. I do think that all of these tools could be very useful in the classroom, and it is important for students to know how to use them properly. However, I don't think this will effect the way I teach in my future classroom. I plan to use technology, but not for every little thing. I think that it is important for students are educated on how to use it, so they can when needed, but it should not take over the classroom. Google holds all the answers, and I believe it makes things too easy sometimes. Students need to learn how to think on their own. This video made me sad, really. This is not how I envisioned my future career. I want my students to come to me for help, to ask me questions about their world. I want to teach them about everything, not just how to use the internet effectively.

3.) The Networked Student
While I think certain aspects of this video are true, I do not agree with it completely. I think there is more to a teachers job than to just guide a student in finding the information on their own. This may work for older students, but I don't believe it is the most effective teaching method for elementary school children. Young kids need to be taught in a classroom, with an actual person helping them. Doing it all online would be very overwhelming for the age group I would like to teach.

4.) Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
I believe the thesis of this video is that teachers can use technology to enhance their students learning abilities, and that teachers don't have to fully understand something before they teach it. While I do think the internet can be very useful, I think it is important for a teacher to understand something before expecting their students to. It's also important to be able to learn from your students though. I thought it was very interesting that she managed to connect her small town classroom to the entire world. The internet can do great things. Even though I may not think it's all necessary in a classroom, I do know that it can be helpful.

5.) Who's Ahead in the Learning Race?
Clearly, elementary students are ahead in the learning race when it comes to technology. My generation was taught using paper and pencil, and students are being taught using technology now. I enjoy using my MacBook, but it was never a requirement for me to have a laptop or tablet in school. Now, children are exposed to all of these things and more before they can even talk most of the time. The younger you are when you're exposed to something, the better you will be at using it. I am currently a sophomore in college, and think that I know how to use technology fairly well. I would be better if I had started at a younger age though.

6.)Flipping the Classroom
I took a chemistry class where we watched the lessons at home, and in class we just "reviewed." It was by far my least favorite, hardest class that I have ever taken. Personally, I do not do well when I can't ask the teacher questions while learning, and I think there are too many distractions at home for it to be an effective learning environment. I can see how this could work for some kids, but overall I don't like it. I believe learning in a classroom, where you can get the students involved, and they can ask questions, is much more effective. I also think that after being at school all day, children shouldn't have to go home and watch videos and do homework all night. Some homework is fine, but kids need time to be kids. I would give this a shot, because I may very well be wrong. However, I wouldn't be overly excited about it.

7.) Bringing the Locker Room Into the Classroom
I believe that coaches can get their players so involved because they are motivated. They want to play well, and they want to help their team win. When students are motivated, they want to know everything they can to help them succeed. It is much easier to get your class involved when they know the "system" and are motivated. I would love to bring the locker room into my classroom when I get a job teaching.