Project #15 Smartboard Presentation

Final Report on PLN

This is my final PLN. I do not use a lot of tools on the internet, but I was surprised at how many web blocks I had. I love the PLN. It keeps me organized, and usually when I get on the internet, there are at least four websites that I visit. I just go to my PLN and click on the blocks instead of having to go through a big circle to get to my websites. I will definitely use this as a teacher.

Blog Post #13

For this assignment I was required to pretty much give up technology for 24 hours. This is so much more difficult than what I had expected. I usually check my Facebook at least 10 times a day, use texting to communicate with friends and family, and my computer for homework and research. This was hard to give up because I am so used to checking my phone every 5 minutes. I had to be sure to tell someone where I was going, because my phone would be off. What made this part easy is that my phone went dead and I had no choice but to stay off my phone. I also watch T.V. when I go to bed, so this was a major adjust since this was a normal routine; however, I found the quietness and darkness very comforting and more easy to go to bed. This assigment made me realize how addicted and realiable I am of technology.

C4T #4

Kelly Tenkely I followed Kelly Tenkely. For her first blog, she wrote about how teachers should use podcasts for weekly reports instead of folders sent home by the teachers. She said that parents can use this podcast as memories, especially when the child is older and their voices have changed. Kelly said that parents aren't sure what they are looking for when folders are sent home and that parents doesn't check their child's blog regularly. The audio only last for about 30 seconds to one minute and 30 seconds. The objective of this is to let parents know how their child is progressing, lets the students keep an audio of themselves and they can listen to it when they get older, and to let digital portfolio grow. I told Kelly that it is very important for parents to know how well their child is doing and where they stand. I think this is a very good idea for the parents to know, but also hear their child's voice.

For Kelly Tenkely's second blog that I commented on she talked about TED-ED. This is something that teachers can use to teach their students with animation. It can be adjusted and tweaked as needed. This incorporates flip teaching. This is where the students learn at home, using the animated video lecture, and do the homework at school. This allows teachers to help the students with homework and find their strength and weeknesses. I told her that this is a great idea for the students to learn will having fun. I also think it is great that the students will have access to their teachers for homework, because I know that's when I needed my teachers the most.

Progress Report on Final Project

My group and I have not yet decided what we would do our project on yet. I have watched the videos though and have had some ideas. My group and communicate through text and will soon record our Skype meeting. I look forward to that so I can learn something new. We are currently busy with our project #15, so when we get through with that, we will focus more on the final project #16.

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

I believe that student's curiosity and creativity are being destroyed. There are so many rules and regulations that prohibit teachers from letting students be creative and curious. Teachers are expected to teach, and I have heard teachers say that art has been taking away from the curriculum. Schools are so determined to make sure that test scores are high, and force students to constantly work and study. I do believe that a curriculum can be created to increase the curiosity and creativity of students. A computer class can be developed where the students can use to technology to explore. An art class can be used to use creativity, but the computer class can also contribute for the creativity. Teacher's actions can definitely increase the curiosity and creativity of students. Teachers can use any subject in school to increase creativity and curiosity. Teachers can create projects that get the students wondering and can make activities to use creativity, like drawing the solar system or making a 3-D model of it. I become more curious by talking about something that I have never heard of or seeing it be presented in a different way. Students get the same lecture year after year, but teachers can make students curious. I remember when my teacher told our class that her friend was coming by to visit and to keep an eye out for him. She said he would be there when we would be in the subject of science, and that his name was Roy G. Biv. My entire class was so excited, and kept looking for him, and we realized that he was the rainbow. That uses creativity and curiosity. I think teachers should do more things like this to keep the students excited and something to look forward to.

Blog Post #12

For this assignment, I wanted to do something creative, different, and something that is very common in schools these days. I want to do something that will help end bullying. I was thinking about what I could do and I was googling ways to end bullying through technology. I think this assignment will prepare us college students to be aware of bullying and helping to prevent it. Bullying is becoming a major issue and will happen when we begin to teach, and this class is about using technology, so here is my assignment.

Bully Blaster App created by Valley Students= go to this page and watch the video. Create a post on how you feel you can prevent bullying and how technology applies to this assignment. Talk about how the Valley students use technology to bring awareness to our attention. Then, tell us a way you can bring awareness to your student's attention by using technology.

This video definitely uses technology to prevent bullying. This allows students to use the iPad while helping to prevent bullying. Teachers could use this app with their students, especially at a young age. I think it is great that students made this app to help children with bullying. This game allows the user to be rewarded for not using bullying, and I think this could help students who do bully feel like they are being rewarded. I think it is great that the Valley students created this game through technology. We are getting more technologically advanced, and students can find comfort through technology I think any awareness can brought to our student's attention through technology. Like this, you can find games through iTunes, play games online, and use the internet to let your students find ways to bring awareness. Students can even bond and use teamwork to help other out, and this allows students to get along with each other, even if it is with the bully.

C4K Summary for April

Shelby!!

The first three weeks of this month, we had to do the World Blog Challenge. I had a girl named Shelby. In her first blog post, she talked about it was picture day Friday. She also mentioned that she enjoyed that wouldn't have to do homework or take quizzes during the weekends. She said that the weekends are just for the kids. I told her that I love the weekends as well. I love to relax and I look forward to seeing new movie premieres on Friday nights.

For Shelby's second blog post, she talked about The Hunger Games. She said she really liked the movie and that it was sad and scary. I told her that I fell in love with The Hunger Games Series. I also said that I watched the movie before reading the books, and that's how I started getting into it. I encouraged her to read the books, because if she liked the movie, then she would love the books. 

Alexis!!
For the last week of the World Blog Challenge, Shelby did not have another post, so I commented on a girl named Alexis. She talked about bullying and how it affects kids. She said that humans do not bully, but monsters do. She also said that it is horrible for someone to make someone to feel bad in order to make themselves feel better. I told Alexis that I agree with her. I hate bullying and I hate that it is making kids dread going to school. I told her that it is great that she is bringing awareness about bullying and keep up the good work.


Mubashshir!!
Mubashshir was my last kid that I commented on. He made an animated video about himself. He said that he likes to read, listen to music and swim. I told him that I also like to read and listen to music. I listen to my music everyday. I also told him that I liked that he added his voice to the video.

C4K Post #4 for April

Mubashshir

For this week I had Mubashshir. He made an animation video with his voice as the audio. In his video, he said that he likes to swim, listen to music, and read. I told Mubashshir that his video was great. I also said that I love to read and listen to music. I listen to my music everyday and I am glad that he enjoys reading. I told him to keep up the good blogging.

C4K- World Blog Challenge Post #3

Alexis
Unfortunately, my kid Shelby did not create new post, so I commented on a girl named Alexis' post. Alexis talked about bullying. She said that she doesn't think it is right that people treat other people bad in order to make themselves feel better. She said that humans do not bully, but monster do. She said that bullying effects how people see themselves. I commented that I totally agree with her. I hate bullying and would love to put an end to it. I hate that students are afraid to go to school just because bullying awaits them. I also said that I am very glad that she is bringing awareness to the world.

Blog Post #11

Little Kids... Big Potential

In this video, Ms. Cassidy's first grade students show us how they work with their blogs, wikis, Skype, and Nintendo DS. It is amazing how 1st grade students know so much about technology. These students did a great job explaining how they use this technology. I never thought about using Nintendo DS for internet purposes. I am still amazed at the fact that these young students are so much more advanced with blogging than a lot of adults in this world.

Skype Interview with Ms. Cassidy

I really enjoyed watching this interview with Ms. Cassidy. I learned a lot of great ideas. I feel that it is very important to protect a child's identity, well to protect the child period. Ms. Cassidy has great ways to protect each child. I think it is important not to mention the child's last name, not to post pictures of the students, and to send permission slips home to use the internet at school. I remember having to get my parents to sign those papers when I was in school. I also think it is a great advantage to have an assistant, or a technology coordinator like Ms. Cassidy has. I also thought it was funny that Ms. Cassidy doesn't use technology for her personal life. I am the same in some ways. I have never had a twitter until this class, and I only use it for this class. She said to use technology for what you are interested in. I think this applies well to students. Elementary students are fascinated with computer themselves, so I think this is why her first grade students are doing so well with blogging. I would also consider letting my students work in groups. The students that are interested in videos, could make a video for the class. The students that are interested in photography could make a picture slideshow to present to the class. Ms. Cassidy also mentioned that she lets her students blog once or twice a week. I think this would be great to get the kids excited about blogging. Maybe use Friday as free Friday. If they do well during the week, then the student can be rewarded by getting to use the computer to blog. I know when I was a kid, I got excited for Fridays just for that reason.

Blog Post #10

Do You Teach or Do You Educate?

I wanted become an education major because I want to make a difference in my student's lives. Not to just teach my students, but inspire them to do anything they put their minds to. I have never thought about the difference of teaching and educating, until I watched this video. This video pointed out that teaching is basically just explaining something, giving information, and getting someone to pretty much think the way you do. Educating is much more than that. Educating means inspiring, mentoring, and leading. I want to educate. I want my student's to trust me and be able to come to me for anything.

While educating, I hope to lead my students by example. I can tell them all kinds of stories, but they will not fully believe me until I show them. That's why I wanted to become an education major. I saw my teachers as leaders, and wanted to be like them one day. I did have teachers who would just make us read the text book and answer questions at the end of the chapter. The teachers never got involved with the students, and that is what I don't want to be. I want to make my students want to learn, instead of dread it.

Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home!

In this blog post, Mr. Spencer tells us about how Gertrude, the School Curriculum Instructional Interventionist Academic Specialist, storms into his classroom and begins to exclaim to him that students should not be bringing pencils home. She stated that bringing pencils home have shown to decrease standardize test scores. She wanted to just throw pencils out of the equation. Tom, the teacher, explains that he has meet with the parents and told them ways that pencils can help them learn. Gertrude was not happy about the situation.

I loved this blog! Mr. Spencer does a really great job on showing us that instead of eliminating the problem, to use the tool to benefit the students. Instead of fixing the problem, Gertrude wanted to get rid of pencils. The problem with this is, how can pencils make test scores go down? It is not the pencil, it is the teacher. If the teacher is not doing their job, then the student will not pass. Tom uses the pencil to "educate." He said that if his students bring pencils home and play hangman, then he still believes they are learning in some way.

We have to prepare our children for the real world. If we educate them right, then the student will know what to do with a pencil. Instead of playing around with the pencil, students will use pencils for creativity and learning. I don't think that showing our students to eliminate a problem is a good idea. They need to figure out what is wrong, and fix it. Tom does this. He gets his students involved with projects that grab their attention. I am certain that Tom's students test scores will come out successful

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C4K- World Blog Challenge- Post #2

Shelby and The Hunger Games

I am commenting on a kid name Shelby. She talked about how she went to the movies and watched The Hunger Games. I told her that I love The Hunger Games. I watched the movie first, and just had to read the books. I told her that I am currently on the third book, and that if she hasn't read the books yet then she should. I mentioned that the book was way better than the movie, and that the movie was so good, then she would enjoy the books. I just want to try to influence her to read. Our children don't read as much as they should, and hopefully this comment will make Shelby want to read, that is if she already doesn't.

C4T #3

My teacher these past two weeks was Kelly Hines. In her first blog, she uses the pencil metaphor. She talks about how groups are formed in a classroom. The base of the pencil, that you use to hold and grip the pencil, represents all the people who follow the crown. The lead of the pencil, which is the smallest part of the pencil, represents the people who are willing to lead, help others who don't understand, and steps out of the box. Last, there are the people who represent the eraser. This means that people literally act a erasers. These are the negative people who try to tear people down, criticize there work, and tries to destroy their work.

I told Kelly Hines that I would have never thought about groups of people as a pencil. I also said that this world does have few leaders, but we have a pretty big number of criticizers. We need to help each other up, instead of tearing each other down.

For my second blog reading, Kelly Hines was inviting all teachers to a free visit to the North Caroline Museum of Life and Science. She basically said that it an appreciation for the hard work that teachers put up. She also said that the teachers can experience this trip through the students eye and see what the children see.

I said that we have a place similar to that place called the Exploreum. I mentioned that every few months, they change the topics out. I think that it is great to show teachers appreciation. I think that this could give teachers an idea of how they would want to teach sciences in their class, and learn.