In his blog,The Thinking Stick, Jeff Utecht introduces a project that has gotten students and even teachers involved in their own technological enlightenment. His Become A Google Apps Ninja program provides an opportunity to enhance research proficiency on the internet. By taking tests designed by Mr. Utecht himself, participants search for the answers on Google. At least an 80% is required before the test taker receives a widget of a belt colored appropriately for the amount of tests completed to be displayed on their blog. The highest achievement identifies the participant as a "Google app ninja". This project is an excellent way for anyone to perfect their technological skills. As the old adage goes, practice makes perfect, and this is what Mr. Utecht has offered through friendly competition and self motivating habits.
Another post on Mr. Utecht's blog that has allowed me to view technology and everything I have learned in EDM 310 in a different perspective is Technology: More Than A Tool, A New Skill. In this post Mr. Utecht lists a couple of sayings he has vowed to eliminate from his vocabulary, including referring to technology as "21st century" as we are 11 years into the century. Another one that resonated clearly for me was referring to technology as "just a tool". Just about everything that I have read and watched as a requirement for EDM 310 has had a continuing theme that technology is a tool used for education and not just entertainment. Mr. Utecht takes this a few step farther and says that technology is a skill rather than just a tool. He is 100% correct. The tools technology has to offer are no good if the skills required to function are not intact. This has enlightened me and has offered new thoughts on the approach that I must take when introducing these technological tools to my future students.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Blog Assignment #10
Do You Teach or Do You Educate?
A poll conducted by MSNBC in 2007 found that 1 in 4 adults read no books in the course of a year. I have to wonder if these 1 out of 4 had teachers or educators while in school. My bet is they had teachers. Educators not only act as mentors and implant moral compasses in their students, they also help their pupils see that learning is a process and not an event. Educators understand that learning is a way of life rather than just a period of time. It is up to educators, rather than teachers, along with parents to provide an environment that encourages exploring, discovering, and learning. This is why I plan to educate instead of teach, as I hope others entering the field of education vow to do the same. If not, I fear the number of adults who read books will continue to drop.
In his blog Tom Johnson's Adventures In Pencil Integration, teacher John Spencer takes on the persona of 1890's teacher Tom Johnson to tackle modern day school system's obsession with technology integration. Through a string of hyperboles, highly satirical remarks and metaphors, Tom Johnson presents both the good and the bad technology has to bring to the table.
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One particular post, Don't Let Them Take Pencils Home challenges the common ideology that technology is a student's "kryptonite" and the accusations that claim having this technology accessible in homes is the cause for lower test scores. Mr. Johnson counteracts a fellow coworker's concerns that, in this case, allowing students to take home pencils has adversely effected test scores. Whether it is 1897 and the use of pencils are becoming novel or it is 2007 and the use of computers are becoming increasingly popular, the point Mr. Spencer is trying to make is that no matter what tool is being used, there is an infinite degree of learning possibilities available. It is up to educators and parents to demonstrate these devices can be used to facilitate learning instead for pure entertainment.
Through Tom Johnson, Mr. Spencer also conveys many educator's preoccupation with standardized tests. Rather than being interested in knowing how students can apply what they have learned to real life situations, school administrators have place an urgent desire to know exactly how much facts are being poured into a student's head and their ability to regurgitate these facts on demand. This I think has created a tense environment in the classroom between teachers, students and even parents. Of course there is a marginal need for the "drill-and-kill" bubble test to monitor teacher performance, but perhaps what Mr. Spencer is trying to relay here is that technology is a good way to gauge a student's ability to take learned information and apply it, which can eliminate a stressful learning environment and allow students to flourish in their education rather than drown.
Until I watched this video, I never real thought about the differences between teaching and educating. To be honest, I did not think there was a difference. Their is, however, a clear distinction between the two verbs upon completion of this short movie. To teach is much more simpler than it is to educate. Teaching is a task just about anyone can accomplish, it is easy to show how something is done or to relay information. In order to educate one must be able to instill in others the belief that they have the competence and mental capacity to achieve any goal imaginable and then help them reach that goal.
A poll conducted by MSNBC in 2007 found that 1 in 4 adults read no books in the course of a year. I have to wonder if these 1 out of 4 had teachers or educators while in school. My bet is they had teachers. Educators not only act as mentors and implant moral compasses in their students, they also help their pupils see that learning is a process and not an event. Educators understand that learning is a way of life rather than just a period of time. It is up to educators, rather than teachers, along with parents to provide an environment that encourages exploring, discovering, and learning. This is why I plan to educate instead of teach, as I hope others entering the field of education vow to do the same. If not, I fear the number of adults who read books will continue to drop.
In his blog Tom Johnson's Adventures In Pencil Integration, teacher John Spencer takes on the persona of 1890's teacher Tom Johnson to tackle modern day school system's obsession with technology integration. Through a string of hyperboles, highly satirical remarks and metaphors, Tom Johnson presents both the good and the bad technology has to bring to the table.
One particular post, Don't Let Them Take Pencils Home challenges the common ideology that technology is a student's "kryptonite" and the accusations that claim having this technology accessible in homes is the cause for lower test scores. Mr. Johnson counteracts a fellow coworker's concerns that, in this case, allowing students to take home pencils has adversely effected test scores. Whether it is 1897 and the use of pencils are becoming novel or it is 2007 and the use of computers are becoming increasingly popular, the point Mr. Spencer is trying to make is that no matter what tool is being used, there is an infinite degree of learning possibilities available. It is up to educators and parents to demonstrate these devices can be used to facilitate learning instead for pure entertainment.
Through Tom Johnson, Mr. Spencer also conveys many educator's preoccupation with standardized tests. Rather than being interested in knowing how students can apply what they have learned to real life situations, school administrators have place an urgent desire to know exactly how much facts are being poured into a student's head and their ability to regurgitate these facts on demand. This I think has created a tense environment in the classroom between teachers, students and even parents. Of course there is a marginal need for the "drill-and-kill" bubble test to monitor teacher performance, but perhaps what Mr. Spencer is trying to relay here is that technology is a good way to gauge a student's ability to take learned information and apply it, which can eliminate a stressful learning environment and allow students to flourish in their education rather than drown.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Blog Assignment #9
What Mr. Joe McClung Learned in 2008-2009
When reading Joe McClung's reflective blog from the 2008-2009 school year, many of the lessons he learned in his first year of teaching struck a cord with me. Some of these ideas are those I never imagined would be an issue when the day comes that I will step into my own classroom. Knowing about some of these challenges (as I am sure there are more yet to be discovered) ahead of time gives me a little bit of an idea how to mentally prepare for that day. One important lesson learned that McClung discusses is the importance to be flexible. As a mom I struggle with this on a daily basis with my own children. I often get frustrated if naps aren't taken at a specific time everyday if we don't make it to a destination right on time because of some confrontation that took place before we left the house. It has taken me some time to understand that the more stringent a schedule your kids are on, the more uptight they will be. It never occurred to me that this same concept applies to the classroom. I have always had this vision that classrooms run like a well oiled machine; order and punctuality prevails in a classroom. After reading McClung's blog, I realize that when dealing with children, especially small children, delays are to be expected and things may not go as planned. The key is to know how to improvise and work around these small road blocks. I find McClung's sarcasm towards drama in the workplace to be very amusing. Though we are adults,we are still human beings and drama in the workplace is inevitable if not unavoidable. His solution for resolving any problems created by drama is to communicate with those who have caused it and perhaps build a friendship out of it. The most important lesson I feel should be taken to heart is to always listen to your students. As expressed by Jed Baker in his book No More Meltdowns and by McClung himself, it is important to take interest in our student's lives before respect can be earned which leads to a healthy teacher student relationship. Children with behavior problems in classrooms are expected to change their ways automatically without considering what could be causing this disruptive behavior. Often times it is the adults that need to change their behavior toward the child. Listening to students and getting to know them is a big key in correcting and maybe even preventing undesirable behavior.
When reading Joe McClung's reflective blog from the 2008-2009 school year, many of the lessons he learned in his first year of teaching struck a cord with me. Some of these ideas are those I never imagined would be an issue when the day comes that I will step into my own classroom. Knowing about some of these challenges (as I am sure there are more yet to be discovered) ahead of time gives me a little bit of an idea how to mentally prepare for that day. One important lesson learned that McClung discusses is the importance to be flexible. As a mom I struggle with this on a daily basis with my own children. I often get frustrated if naps aren't taken at a specific time everyday if we don't make it to a destination right on time because of some confrontation that took place before we left the house. It has taken me some time to understand that the more stringent a schedule your kids are on, the more uptight they will be. It never occurred to me that this same concept applies to the classroom. I have always had this vision that classrooms run like a well oiled machine; order and punctuality prevails in a classroom. After reading McClung's blog, I realize that when dealing with children, especially small children, delays are to be expected and things may not go as planned. The key is to know how to improvise and work around these small road blocks. I find McClung's sarcasm towards drama in the workplace to be very amusing. Though we are adults,we are still human beings and drama in the workplace is inevitable if not unavoidable. His solution for resolving any problems created by drama is to communicate with those who have caused it and perhaps build a friendship out of it. The most important lesson I feel should be taken to heart is to always listen to your students. As expressed by Jed Baker in his book No More Meltdowns and by McClung himself, it is important to take interest in our student's lives before respect can be earned which leads to a healthy teacher student relationship. Children with behavior problems in classrooms are expected to change their ways automatically without considering what could be causing this disruptive behavior. Often times it is the adults that need to change their behavior toward the child. Listening to students and getting to know them is a big key in correcting and maybe even preventing undesirable behavior.
What Mr. Joe McClung Learned in 2010-2011
It was very interesting to read McClung's blog three years after he posted his first reflective blog and see how he applied everything he learned in his first year in education to his current methods of teaching. Some new lessons he had learned, however, stuck out that I pondered further. Two of these were connected to one another, he says not to expect others to as excited about change as you are and to not be afraid to be an outsider. Not many people are susceptible to change and are afraid of it. Having grown up in a military environment, change is all I have known. I love change, I embrace it, in fact I cannot stand when something has been the same way for any given period of time. In the past my patience with people who duck and dodge any kind of change has been almost non existent. I have found however, that becoming irritated and edgy with those that cannot accept change accomplishes nothing. If a little bit of patience is exhibited and time is given to people to fully grasp the idea of whatever is being changed, opinions can eventually be turned the other way. In accordance with this idea, McClung also urges young teachers to not be afraid to be an outsider. We have all been in a situation where we behave like a bunch of sheep and follow the crowd in fear of sticking out like a sore thumb. Who is that really being true to though? When you know what you believe in and stick firmly to those beliefs, people may not like you but they will sure have an ample amount of respect for you. And personally, I would prefer respect over popularity any day. I also feel this is the only way new and exciting ideas are brought about, people not afraid to go against the common belief.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Blog Assignment #8
This Is How We Dream: Part 1 and 2
By: Dr. Richard E. Miller
By: Dr. Richard E. Miller
Dr. Miller of Rutgers University shares his vision of the future of human communication in a two part series titled, "This Is How We Dream." These visions will change the entire scope of how we write, work, research and publish ideas we may have or want to share. Having been raised with a profound love for books and the solitary act of writing, Dr. Miller recognizes these near antiquities are slowly being phased out and replaced with a much more modern method of interacting with one another. He states that we are now living in the moment of the greatest change in the history of communication.
Dr. Miller emphasizes that these changes are incremental and not fundamental. While the changes that are transpiring are small ones, I do feel that they will eventually lead to fundamental improvements in the way everyone lives on a day to day basis despite social/economical standings. When once before research required sitting hours in a library, and sometimes even multiple libraries, individuals can now sit at there desktop and conduct any and all research required to meet the task at hand. As a result of published material living dual lives, print and web based, knowledge is now being shared with an infinitely. Dr. Miller exemplifies this with the fact that if a piece of work is published via print sources, it could take up to two years for the material to be circulated. Two years does not seem like that long of a period of time; however, the rapid advancements seen in technology has profoundly influenced the rates at which new discoveries in medicine and science are being made. Many of these discoveries have the potential to be life saving or altering. If it were to take two years to make these new findings available to the greater population, they would have been made in vein. An added bonus technology has to offer to this means of sharing information is that if further information is found, existing information can simply be updated rather than having to begin the publishing process all over again.
Most importantly, Dr. Miller states that the limits and restrictions that are placed on writing with multimedia will be set there by ourselves. For this reason it is all the more important that educators become intimately familiar with writing in this fashion so as they are capable of passing these skills on to their students. While I feel the benefits of writing with multimedia are boundless, I still believe it is imperative to be able to function with tangible print based information and learn how to incorporate the two methods.
Dr. Miller emphasizes that these changes are incremental and not fundamental. While the changes that are transpiring are small ones, I do feel that they will eventually lead to fundamental improvements in the way everyone lives on a day to day basis despite social/economical standings. When once before research required sitting hours in a library, and sometimes even multiple libraries, individuals can now sit at there desktop and conduct any and all research required to meet the task at hand. As a result of published material living dual lives, print and web based, knowledge is now being shared with an infinitely. Dr. Miller exemplifies this with the fact that if a piece of work is published via print sources, it could take up to two years for the material to be circulated. Two years does not seem like that long of a period of time; however, the rapid advancements seen in technology has profoundly influenced the rates at which new discoveries in medicine and science are being made. Many of these discoveries have the potential to be life saving or altering. If it were to take two years to make these new findings available to the greater population, they would have been made in vein. An added bonus technology has to offer to this means of sharing information is that if further information is found, existing information can simply be updated rather than having to begin the publishing process all over again.
Most importantly, Dr. Miller states that the limits and restrictions that are placed on writing with multimedia will be set there by ourselves. For this reason it is all the more important that educators become intimately familiar with writing in this fashion so as they are capable of passing these skills on to their students. While I feel the benefits of writing with multimedia are boundless, I still believe it is imperative to be able to function with tangible print based information and learn how to incorporate the two methods.
Carly Pugh's Blog Assignment #12
In her blog post number twelve, Carly Pugh exemplifies perfectly Dr. Miller's vision of being able to combine various thoughts, ideas or beliefs into one easily accessible and shared publication. Although she did, Carly did not have to write in words her beliefs and philosophies pertaining to education. These were clearly inferred by simply watching the videos provided in her YouTube playlist. This is exactly what Dr. Miller travels the country talking about; writing with multimedia does not require the use of formal language. This is also a fantastic way to mainstream common ideas among educators.
EDM310 For Dummies and The Chipper Series
These two videos were very intuitive and insightful, as well as humorous, tools used to administer advice for keys to success in not only EDM310, but also life in general. The Chipper Series does a fantastic job of portraying that nothing comes easy in life and that hard work is required to achieve anything worthwhile. Even the most meager jobs such as garbage collecting still requires a certain level of dedication and commitment in order to succeed. Haphazardness with your responsibilities only jeopardizes chances of leading a happy, successful life not matter what those responsibilities may be.
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EDM310 for Dummies comforted me when watching it for the first time before this class actually began. It can be very easy to become overwhelmed in this class, however, if time is managed wisely and work is started farther in advance than the same day it is due, there is a lot to be gained. EDM 310 for Dummies keeps this concept in perspective for me.
EDM310 for Dummies comforted me when watching it for the first time before this class actually began. It can be very easy to become overwhelmed in this class, however, if time is managed wisely and work is started farther in advance than the same day it is due, there is a lot to be gained. EDM 310 for Dummies keeps this concept in perspective for me.
"It is the death of education, but the dawn of learning." What a powerful statement! The way in which school systems are structured as of present time does not do much to prepare individuals for the challenges and obstacles that students will face upon graduation. The standardized tests that have become so important to educators only achieve more of an understanding of how well a job teachers have done rather than gauging how effectively students can take information learned and apply it to real life situations. I feel that the use of technology in classrooms is an excellent way to provide this type of hands on learning and give educators a way to assess how much students are learning. I especially agree with the idea that "school" is symbolic and that learning should not be limited to the time students sit in a desk contained inside the mortar and brick walls of a school building. However, as I have stated many times before, the use of this technology in classrooms needs to be done in moderation and extreme caution must be heeded to ensure students do not lose interpersonal face to face communication skills.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Blog Assignment #7
In a lecture series titled Randy Pausch Last Lecture:Achieving Your Childhood Dreams, Carnegie Mellon University associate professor Randy Pausch addresses his audience with a three part discussion of how one can achieve his or her childhood dreams.
During the first part of his speech, Pausch talks about the dreams he held as a child and how either did or did not achieve those goals. He first stresses the importance of celebrating brick walls. The obstacles that are faced on our journey to achieve our dreams are set in place to show us how badly we want something and weed out those who do not hold a deep desire for a particular dream. With each of his childhood dreams, Pausch recalls the brick walls he hit with each and every one of them. These road blocks had a purpose in his own personal development. I am reminded of the old adage, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. This is precisely what Randy Pausch did in order to make his dreams of experiencing zero gravity. When told he was not allowed to join his students on NASA's Weightless Wonder (aka The Vomit Comet) as a faculty member, he instead acquired press credentials and resubmitted his application as the official photographer of the trip. When brick walls are placed in your way, do not give up on the first attempt, try and find other avenues around them. Another factor to remember when striving to reach childhood dreams is that some dreams are not always meant to be fulfilled. This was the case in Randy Pausch's desire to play in the National Football League. Although he never had to opportunity to play professional football, the learned a tremendous amount more on his way to this goal than he would have had he actually made it all the way. He reminds the audience that "experience is what we get when we don't get what we want" and that "most of what we learn is learned indirectly." It is hard not to feel like a failure when our dreams are not played out, however it is always important to stop and reflect on the situation to realize we have really gained instead. Pausch also emphasizes the need to understand that some dreams are just fantasies that cannot logically be met as well as providing ways to prove your legitimacy about goals met to cynics who will undoubtedly question your credibility. Finally, Pausch accentuates the importance of patience when striving to make your dreams come true. When trying to meet his dream of becoming a Disney Imagineer, legalities and other minor details were not working out to his benefit. He was told that if he waits long enough, people would surprise him and it would work out in the end. Achievements are not made over night, the process takes time with a lot of hard work and persistence.
During the second part of the lecture, Pausch turns away from focusing on his dreams and more towards how you can enable others achieve their own dreams. When he started the class Building Virtual Worlds, he really had no idea exactly what to expect from his students. When the groups returned after two weeks with material that should have taken them a semester to finish, Pausch did not overly praise the students; rather he encouraged them that they could do better and did not "set a bar" to guide them. As a result of not restricting his students, they took the limit to the sky and produced phenomenal projects. It is also important to keep in mind that when you learn to focus on people and learn to work in groups the impossible can be achieved. Pausch uses his experience with the Entertainment Technology Center as an example of how team work leads to self reflection and allows the dreams of many people to come true. Finally, this biggest tool to use in order to help others achieve their goals is a mind game Pausch likes to call a "head fake". This occurs when skills or information is learned without knowing it was learned while accomplishing something else.
During the third part of Pausch's speech, he highlights the important lessons he learned that helped him reach his dreams. Perhaps the most important fact to remember while striving to reach your goals is to recognize and appreciate what lets you get to achieve your dreams. For Randy, this was his parents. The best example Pausch provides is the moment he and his mother discovered shortly after his father's death that he had been awarded the Bronze Star for Valor during World War II; an achievement that is certainly boast worthy. However, Pausch states that arrogance limits what you can accomplish. A sense of humility must be required when reaching for the starts. This is a possible reason is father chose not to divulge this remarkable accomplishment to his family.
Finally, Pausch offers a few more pieces of advice to help dreams become reality. He states that you can not get to your dreams by yourself and will require the help of others. The way to get people to help you is to always tell the truth, be earnest in your endeavors, own up to your mistakes and apologize for them, and focus on others, not yourself. Once you have a support system in place and ready to take on your dreams, Pausch reminds the audience to celebrate brick walls and to never bail or give up. Integrity is a requirement when pursuing our dreams. He emphasis that when the right thing is done, good things happen to you. And most importantly, do not complain; just work harder. Pausch users the famous baseball player Jackie Robinson as an example of this ideal. Despite battling racial segregation and pressures of prejudices seen in the 1940's, Robinson continued to marvel in the sport of professional baseball and even broke down numerous boundaries; no excuses were ever made by him. But perhaps the greatest example Pausch could have used to exemplify hard work with excuses is himself. Dealing with a terminal illness and a grim prognosis knowing he had only a few months left to spend with his family, he continued to push forward to make his last dream a reality, to still be able to play a vital role in his children's lives with the lecture he had just given.
During the first part of his speech, Pausch talks about the dreams he held as a child and how either did or did not achieve those goals. He first stresses the importance of celebrating brick walls. The obstacles that are faced on our journey to achieve our dreams are set in place to show us how badly we want something and weed out those who do not hold a deep desire for a particular dream. With each of his childhood dreams, Pausch recalls the brick walls he hit with each and every one of them. These road blocks had a purpose in his own personal development. I am reminded of the old adage, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. This is precisely what Randy Pausch did in order to make his dreams of experiencing zero gravity. When told he was not allowed to join his students on NASA's Weightless Wonder (aka The Vomit Comet) as a faculty member, he instead acquired press credentials and resubmitted his application as the official photographer of the trip. When brick walls are placed in your way, do not give up on the first attempt, try and find other avenues around them. Another factor to remember when striving to reach childhood dreams is that some dreams are not always meant to be fulfilled. This was the case in Randy Pausch's desire to play in the National Football League. Although he never had to opportunity to play professional football, the learned a tremendous amount more on his way to this goal than he would have had he actually made it all the way. He reminds the audience that "experience is what we get when we don't get what we want" and that "most of what we learn is learned indirectly." It is hard not to feel like a failure when our dreams are not played out, however it is always important to stop and reflect on the situation to realize we have really gained instead. Pausch also emphasizes the need to understand that some dreams are just fantasies that cannot logically be met as well as providing ways to prove your legitimacy about goals met to cynics who will undoubtedly question your credibility. Finally, Pausch accentuates the importance of patience when striving to make your dreams come true. When trying to meet his dream of becoming a Disney Imagineer, legalities and other minor details were not working out to his benefit. He was told that if he waits long enough, people would surprise him and it would work out in the end. Achievements are not made over night, the process takes time with a lot of hard work and persistence.
During the second part of the lecture, Pausch turns away from focusing on his dreams and more towards how you can enable others achieve their own dreams. When he started the class Building Virtual Worlds, he really had no idea exactly what to expect from his students. When the groups returned after two weeks with material that should have taken them a semester to finish, Pausch did not overly praise the students; rather he encouraged them that they could do better and did not "set a bar" to guide them. As a result of not restricting his students, they took the limit to the sky and produced phenomenal projects. It is also important to keep in mind that when you learn to focus on people and learn to work in groups the impossible can be achieved. Pausch uses his experience with the Entertainment Technology Center as an example of how team work leads to self reflection and allows the dreams of many people to come true. Finally, this biggest tool to use in order to help others achieve their goals is a mind game Pausch likes to call a "head fake". This occurs when skills or information is learned without knowing it was learned while accomplishing something else.
During the third part of Pausch's speech, he highlights the important lessons he learned that helped him reach his dreams. Perhaps the most important fact to remember while striving to reach your goals is to recognize and appreciate what lets you get to achieve your dreams. For Randy, this was his parents. The best example Pausch provides is the moment he and his mother discovered shortly after his father's death that he had been awarded the Bronze Star for Valor during World War II; an achievement that is certainly boast worthy. However, Pausch states that arrogance limits what you can accomplish. A sense of humility must be required when reaching for the starts. This is a possible reason is father chose not to divulge this remarkable accomplishment to his family.
Finally, Pausch offers a few more pieces of advice to help dreams become reality. He states that you can not get to your dreams by yourself and will require the help of others. The way to get people to help you is to always tell the truth, be earnest in your endeavors, own up to your mistakes and apologize for them, and focus on others, not yourself. Once you have a support system in place and ready to take on your dreams, Pausch reminds the audience to celebrate brick walls and to never bail or give up. Integrity is a requirement when pursuing our dreams. He emphasis that when the right thing is done, good things happen to you. And most importantly, do not complain; just work harder. Pausch users the famous baseball player Jackie Robinson as an example of this ideal. Despite battling racial segregation and pressures of prejudices seen in the 1940's, Robinson continued to marvel in the sport of professional baseball and even broke down numerous boundaries; no excuses were ever made by him. But perhaps the greatest example Pausch could have used to exemplify hard work with excuses is himself. Dealing with a terminal illness and a grim prognosis knowing he had only a few months left to spend with his family, he continued to push forward to make his last dream a reality, to still be able to play a vital role in his children's lives with the lecture he had just given.
Monday, October 10, 2011
C4T #2
Canadian primary school teacher Jennifer Brokofsky posted ideas to help new teachers create a classroom environment that further cultivates and expands children's interest in mathematics. The first idea she highlighted was creating a specific math corner in the classroom. Provided with an assortment of manipulatives such as Base Ten Blocks and Venn Diagrams, students are able to foster their mathematical skills in an independent manner. Mrs. Brokofsky also stresses the importance of having a special collection of math books in order for students to make a connection between reading and math further compounding their math skills. Finally, Mrs. Brokofsky suggests having a wall in the class room devoted to math terminology, definitions, and possibly charts and graphs. Math has quickly become children's least favorite subject in school, whether they naturally understand the concepts or not. By creating a math rich classroom, students have continuous exposure to mathematical ideas but also enhances their natural curiosity and allows them to relate their disposition to mathematics to make sense of their physical and even social worlds.
The second post of Jennifer Brokofsky's that I read was published some time ago. Despite that it was published a couple months ago, I chose to pay closer attention to this post rather than the others. In response to a challenge posed by Dr. Scott Mcleod to all educators/bloggers, Mrs. Brokofsky lists her ideas on how leaders can support learning in education through technology. I found this particularly interesting having read Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff Please?, also by Scott Mcleod, not too long before encountering this post. In this highly sarcastic poem, Dr. Mcleod vents his frustration with parents and educators who are not willing to become technologically literate and will not allow their children and students to become so also. Brokofsky offers steps to not only develop a rich Personal Learning Network, but also ideas on how to bridge this gap between the the educators who have opposing view points pertaining to technology and its use in the classroom.
The second post of Jennifer Brokofsky's that I read was published some time ago. Despite that it was published a couple months ago, I chose to pay closer attention to this post rather than the others. In response to a challenge posed by Dr. Scott Mcleod to all educators/bloggers, Mrs. Brokofsky lists her ideas on how leaders can support learning in education through technology. I found this particularly interesting having read Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff Please?, also by Scott Mcleod, not too long before encountering this post. In this highly sarcastic poem, Dr. Mcleod vents his frustration with parents and educators who are not willing to become technologically literate and will not allow their children and students to become so also. Brokofsky offers steps to not only develop a rich Personal Learning Network, but also ideas on how to bridge this gap between the the educators who have opposing view points pertaining to technology and its use in the classroom.
Project #10- PLN Progress Report
So far my Personal Learning Network has little to be desired. I have found it most difficult to focus on acquiring information that could prove to be valuable; and when I do come across something it does not occur to me to save this information. Twitter and the Alabama Virtual Library has currently been my main sources for material. I have decided to take a more active approach into building a more substantial PLN and reserve at least 30 minutes each day to educate myself more on how to do this
Sunday, October 2, 2011
C4K #1
The first blog I had the privilege to read belonged to a young man in New Zealand. He is currently in year 8 in school and from what I could gather this is equivalent to the 7th or 8th grade in America. Ilalio participated in a Multiple Intelligence Test and shared his results in his blog. His strengths were interpersonal skills and visual/spacial skills. He said he would like to work on and become better at linguistic, kinaesthetic, naturalistic, musical, and logical skills. I explained to him that it was very good to have strong interpersonal skills. It is important to be able to comfortably communicate with other people and even strangers. Although he had obvious strengths, the margin was very narrow between all skills which indicates to me that Ilalio has many intelligences.
The second blog I read also belonged to a student from New Zealand. Shontal expressed her delight in having the opportunity to participate in A.F.L. Kiwi Kick. This program is designed for students to learn about and play football. Football in New Zealand is not at all like what Americans are used to viewing. After watching highlights from a few games on YouTube, I think I might prefer watching the game being played in this manner. I told Shontal this and also expressed my delight in her enthusiasm to partake in a physical activity.
The third blog I viewed was exceptionally special to me as it was something local children are participating in. The St. Elmo explorers created a video in which each student displayed their own art project that helped them realize the value of difference among people. I especially liked Jenna's bright and colorful self portrait she drew of herself. Her difference from other people is that she is sensitive which accentuated by the many hearts she drew in her portrait. I told Jenna that being sensitive is a quality to be proud of possessing. With this she is more capable of understanding and appreciating all types of people and love the differences that she learned about through this project.
The last blog I read was a 17 year old's from Moscow. Among her eight lessons in school, Liza is also learning to play the piano and guitar. I encouraged her to keep up with her musical lessons. Being a musician myself, I told her that music can help clear thoughts and make some processes a little easier. She is also learning to speak Russian and English, which I find amazing she has the discipline to study both at the same time.
The second blog I read also belonged to a student from New Zealand. Shontal expressed her delight in having the opportunity to participate in A.F.L. Kiwi Kick. This program is designed for students to learn about and play football. Football in New Zealand is not at all like what Americans are used to viewing. After watching highlights from a few games on YouTube, I think I might prefer watching the game being played in this manner. I told Shontal this and also expressed my delight in her enthusiasm to partake in a physical activity.
The third blog I viewed was exceptionally special to me as it was something local children are participating in. The St. Elmo explorers created a video in which each student displayed their own art project that helped them realize the value of difference among people. I especially liked Jenna's bright and colorful self portrait she drew of herself. Her difference from other people is that she is sensitive which accentuated by the many hearts she drew in her portrait. I told Jenna that being sensitive is a quality to be proud of possessing. With this she is more capable of understanding and appreciating all types of people and love the differences that she learned about through this project.
The last blog I read was a 17 year old's from Moscow. Among her eight lessons in school, Liza is also learning to play the piano and guitar. I encouraged her to keep up with her musical lessons. Being a musician myself, I told her that music can help clear thoughts and make some processes a little easier. She is also learning to speak Russian and English, which I find amazing she has the discipline to study both at the same time.
Project #8 Podcast
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