Final Reflection

Wow! I don't know where to start! Maybe I should start with the first day. I did not even know I was looking at a blog when I pulled up the class blog website. I had never been to one, so I didn't know what one was. I am almost 30 years old and the only reason why I used computers before this class was just because I felt I had no choice most of the time. I did not know how to enjoy them. The neatest thing to me was to use the computer to pay bills and save the trees.

In spite of that I was one of the many students who felt that I could get away with minimum amounts of time spent on this class because of the lack of supervision that comes with it. However, I quickly found myself literally drownding and struggling to catch up within the first 3 weeks of class. In other words, I had to learn the hard way to spend some time in the lab.

This class did challenge me to the point of near insanity. But I did start college for a challenge, so I guess I can't complain too much about that. Dr. Strange and the lab associates (as they like to be called) were always there to help. They take their job seriously. At the same time they liked to cut up with me and show me how to have fun with the assignements.

The direction that Dr. Strange is taking his students in is, perhaps what is most worthy of my reflection. I had no idea the type of revolution our educational institution is in. Everything is changing and, just like everything except for drama, we are behind here in the south. Children are learning differently and we must compete. We must be able to participate in what the world is doing. Human beings have always thrived off of each other's ideas. Students today crave interaction and idea sharing - PLN's.

TEACH SOMEONE SOMETHING

I did Jamie Lynn's hair into a "topsy tail" and tried to upload the video to YouTube, but I guess it didn't work because it is not under my videos. When I was in the Lab Thursday with my son it was trying to upload. Dr. Strange said that it was taking a while because YouTube was busy. He said that if I sent it to my account then I should be able to embed it from home and just give it some time to publish. I guess it didn't go through. I will try to resolve this issue Monday.

RESULTS FROM GOOGLE DOCS SURVEY WITH COMMENTARY

FINAL REPORT ON PLN

Well, first of all, I now know what a PLN is. Second I know why it is important to me. Third and last, I know why it is important to my future students. I, as a teacher in the age of the Millineal and the Alpha generations, will be a facilitator for their use of the available technology for learning. In other words, I will have to show them how and encourage my future students to use available technology for learning what they need to learn in the classroom. My PLN has evolved from rarely checking e-mail to having a detailed blog, subscribing to various interesting blogs, participating (and enjoying) Facebook, and using the computer happily instead of grudgingly. I do not have a Twitter account but I do enjoy my YouTube account and although I have had a g-mail account for about 5 years, I had no idea how useful it can be. What potential!! I see a PLN as something that is ever changing for me as I learn new things but my view of today's technology as the ultimate learning tool is a new and welcomed view.

FINAL SUMMARY POST C4K

C4K # 11 was a girl named Madison from Louisiana that had gone on a field trip to a county fair. She was chaperoned by her mother. She was excited to mention that they took a tour bus instead of  a school bus. I told her about my big field trip to New Orleans and how my mom was the chaperone. Finally, I told her to keep up the good work on her posts.

SPECIAL YASMINE ASSNMNT. Yasmine obviously loves horses. What noble creatures. I hope she loves getting all the posts. What a bright young lady!!

C4K #10 Amy is a student from Spencer (I couldn't find which state) but the post I commented on was about her dog. She is obviously a member of a dog loving family. Their new dog was a rescue and she was so excited about the new addition to the family. I told her that her post was very well written and that she should keep it up.

C4K #9  Chelsea is a student from overseas and she is a very well rounded young lady. She sings in a choir, plays basketball, all while keeping up with her blog and her school work. Man, I need to take a hint from Chelsea!! Really, though I told her to keep ut the great work and that I was impressed.

C4K #8 Well, I couldn't find out anything about alba skunkshark (cool name), but I did see that they have a gift for photography. This student was proud of their hobby and I was a cool picture.

C4T SUMMARY #4

The teacher that I was assigned is Liz B. Davis. Although I was unable to tell her so, I have enjoyed reading her posts. She is the director of academic technology at an all boys school in Boston. She is always showing her students how to use all types of technology to their advantage. For example, many of her students are only familiar with Facebook, but after sharing the benefits of Twitter, the boys begin to use it effectively. Also, she is always posting her thoughts and discoveries as she builds her PLN.

PROJECT #15

Why I did not post this when I was supposed to, I honestly don't know. Nonetheless, here is our wonderful Project #15, done as a group with Lisa Ferro, Brittany Schneider, Elizabeth Flemming. Our focus was to create an advertisement for the EDM 310 course using a move/movie trailer medium. It was the most fun I have had in a long time with group and project work. Moreover, it has to be the best time I have ever had while using such technological resources. I sincerely hope everyone enjoys this as much as I do.

ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENT #5

John Spencer's use of Tom Johnson to express the thoughts of a dedicated teacher is just awesome. It's art in every sense of the word. I especially love when I read something that helps me to express myself better. "The Medium Shapes the Learning" is an especially good example of that sort of reading. Since I became a student of teaching, I have often wondered how well I would be able to do my job. This post helps to confirm  that it is not so crazy of me to  always be wondering; "hmm, how will I teach that?" Now that I have been a student for a while, I have learned that I will be part of a game and the rules will be learned as I go. I will not have an advantage in this game unless I actively speak with people who have been playing it, and most importantly, are great at it!! THAT WAS A METAPHOR. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY WATCHED THIS.

PROGRESS REPORT: FINAL PROJECT

Although my group is formed we have only brainstormed our topic for the final project. This is because we are working so diligently on our Project # 15. We will be starting our final project Wednesday or Friday of this week. Oh yeah, my group members are: Brittany Schneider, Lisa Ferro, myself and Elizabeth Flemming. Thanks for reading. Stay cool.

WHAT POST SHOULD YOU HAVE ASSIGNED? BLOG POST #12

I have learned a great deal about the mentality of myself and those I will be going to teach. I am seeing the difference in learning styles, but if I had been thinking of this difference in terms of generational ideals, the issue of a revolution in learning styles would have been more clear to me.So, I found a cool video on YouTube about the learning styles of the upcoming "Net" Generation. I hope everyone enjoys this; including you, Dr. Strange.

WATCH THE VIDEO. TELL ME WHAT GENERATION YOU BELONG TO. THEN, TELL ME IF YOU CAN ADJUST TO THE DEMANDS OF TEACHING THE NET GENERATION. THINK LONG AND HARD NOW PEOPLE!!

SUMMARY POST C4K

Well, I just love seeing what the kids are doing in the classrooms these days! I had to comment first on a little boy in New Zealand who wrote a lovely narrative about an outing to the beach with his mother and brother. I told him that his writing and his blog looked great. I also reminded him of how lucky he was to be able to ride his bike to the beach instead of having to drive a long way.
Next, I commented on a young lady's blog who had just created her blog and I had to comment on her first post. I assured her she was doing an excellent job and that her and I were in the same boat as far as blogging. I reminded her that everyone has to start somewhere and that my blog has really helped me keep track of all of my progress, so she should try and use it for that purpose.
I commented on a young man in 6th grade who loved to race dirt bikes and play video games. His blog was really detailed. I was a little blown away, but seeing such a young person with this kind of knowledge just reminds me of how much work and practicing I have to do in order to be a teacher instead of a babysitter. I love comments for kids. I can't wait for this to be part of what I do for my students.

SUMMARY POST C4T

I was assigned to comment of the blog belonging to the lovely Dr. Scott McCleoud. You all remember him. He is the person responsible for the Did You Know video that we had to comment on at the beginning of the semester. Dr. McCleoud helps to educate today's teachers on the importance of technology in the classroom. There is so much to look at an navigate through on his blog that I wind up spending much more time there than I ever plan to. This most recent visit to his blog was most entertaining. I watched about 5 YouTube videos of kids expressing their hatred for their boring teachers. I commented on these videos saying how obvious it is that these kids have a creative streak. They are suffering from a massive amount of boredom. Hating a teacher or two in one's life is sometimes just a right of passage, but as teachers we have to be doing all that we can to make learning worth their while. I enjoy Dr. McCleoud's blog "Dangerously Irrelevant". I enjoy and am thankful for knowing Dr. McCleoud's message and hope everyone checks it out on a regular basis.

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THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I TRY TO EMBED A VIDEO ON MY BLOG I WILL FIX IT IN THE LAB UNTIL THEN FOLLOW THE LINK TO THE VIDEO THIS IS JUST ONE FROM A LONG LIST OF I HATE MY TEACHER VIDEOS IT HAS STRONG LANGUAGE SO WATCH IT ALONE OR WITH ADULTS!!

BLOG POST #11

Wow! What an example of tech savvy in the classroom! To see these children so excited about learning with technology is really inspiring. I did not realize what an awesome tool that blogs can be for positive development. For the children to be able to electronically keep track of their spelling and look back over their progress goes hand in hand traditional teaching. Yet, these children are getting good at the technical part of learning that is so necessary in this day in age. Also, to become proficient in using computers and all they have to offer is an intrinsic motivator. When they do something cool in the classroom, it makes the kids feel good. I especially liked the SKYPE interview with the geologist. How neat would that have been to see and hear a scientist while doing a science lesson. No doubt this keeps the kids interested. Ms. Cassidy's class certainly is getting the education they will need to succeed. However, I worry about the rest of the kids that don't have these amenities in their classrooms. When I begin teaching, will I have the resources that Ms. Cassidy has. To have this in a classroom is unseen in the part of town that I grew up in and where I am currently doing my observations. When I do begin teaching, I am sure that I will have to ask plenty of questions, read all the time and plan way ahead so that my students will have technological opportunities that they so need.

INSTRUCTIONAL TIMELINE

BLOG POST 10

Yes, I am glad to see that Morgan commented on the most important and concise message in the Dan Brown video. She reminds us that education is not only "free", it's liberated. Knowledge doesn't necessarily cost money to have and it's everywhere!
This is most important for educators to keep in the front of their minds because students live in this fact every day. I am a student who is becoming a teacher. Yes, I want to be liberated and I want to liberate. So, I have to remember that facts are easy to come by. I, as an educator, must provide motivation and a forum for idea sharing.
Morgan says that she has felt cheated in the classroom. Well, I completely understand. I don't ever want any student of mine to feel that way. And that is why I will keep in mind that I am not just a bank of facts for students, but a healthy example of someone who is hungry for knowledge.

DON'T LET THEM TAKE...

This blog post confronts an issue that is, to me, an even bigger one than people not using technology in the classrooms. Mr. Johnson wants to speak candidly about how testing leaves certain people behind within our education system and it is like a Pandora's Box that every one avoids. If it weren't for a lack of money that the less dominate cultures and classes suffer from then they may have better access to the internet that we hold so dear. If, say, low-income societies had REGULAR access to the internet, they may be able to generate enough ideas to aviod poor test scores. I know this statement takes a little thought. And it probably won't do you much good if you have not taken "Education in a Diverse Society" (sorry, I forget the course number), but this issue of poor people suffering in the classroom is bigger than no technology in the classroo.
Don't worry reader. I do understand that fancy things in the classroom won't make things automatically better. I did read "Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards". I don't think that money is the answer. I do know that without this thought provoking thing we call regular access to the internet, low-income societies are suffering.  And, I'll say it again, they don't have it!! They don't have the money for it. The teachers don't have it. They don't have the money for it. I have one hope. Now that there is a revolution that involves the liberation of education - the liberation of knowledge, maybe there will be a real liberation of the people on this Earth; maybe people will see how access to education isn't the only thing that has been and is being hoarded by dominant cultures. It will, no doubt, be a slow one, but it might be one that is starting.

2 QUESTIONS...

A good person is summed up in one sentence? Notice the people who had sentences were already passed away. I am guessing it would be very easy to think up a sentence for someone who is no longer active. But if I am put to the challenge and it is insisted upon, then, here it goes: "I am, first a mother, second a wife, and third a student, who takes all of her roles extremely seriously, even though she likes to play." And I already ask myself on a daily basis if I had done more, got more accomplished, or feel better than the day before. So, I guess I don't have to tell ya what great advice I think that is.

SKYPE INTERVIEW

POST #9

WHAT I'VE LEARNED THIS YEAR...
This is exactly the kind of reading that I need to do. This blog is a list of  lessons a new teacher learned about himself during his first year of teaching. I have to say that it is refreshing and encouraging to be reminded that I am not the only one with fears. I am scared to think about the possibility that I could be less than excellent to my employers and my students. I am scared of computers. I want more than anything else in the world to be a good listener, communicator and team player. Mr. McClung's blog has helped to get my perspective back in check.
He tells teachers to be focused on student comprehension and in order to do this we must be flexible with, have an open line of communication with, and have the utmost respect for all of our students. I truly believe that if this advice is not taken, teacher could do more damage than good. If we can't make changes on the fly opportunities for learning can be missed. If we don't know and respect our students how do we expect for them to know and respect and learn form us?
I felt as if he was speaking directly to me when he advised against a fear of technology. I have made it no secret that computers and other gizmos scare me. They make me wonder about the very direction of humanity (that's no joke), but I have to admit, computers and the concept of a PLN are potentially unmatched by any other methods of learning that I am aware of. This blog reminds me that this is a fear that has to be completely overcome.
Finally, and most importantly, Mr. McClung tells teachers to never stop learning. We, as, not only professionals, but people, must learn and grow. Without a fresh mind we cannot advocate our students.

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