Friday, October 15, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
MY PLN
Well, I believe that I am doing well with making my PLN bigger and more efficient. I am positive that there is way more that I could be doing. I am also aware that I am behind when it comes to all of the technical issues involved with using different programs. However, I have thoroughly enjoyed the blog assignments. Especially the C4T. With this assignment I have been exposed to the type of exemplary thinking that I thrive off of. The videos are so thought provoking. This class is steering me in the right direction when it comes to developing and understanding the necessity of having a large and efficient PLN.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
C4T #2 SUMMARY
Dr. Strange, where do you find these teachers?! They are geniuses. My teacher #2 was Mr. Joe Bower of Alberta, Canada. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mr. Bower's many posts on effective, empowering teaching. I have laughed and cried each time I visited his blog. I am aware that just sounded kind of movie criticesque, but it's just the truth.
Mr. Bower shares excerpts from articles he has read on the education of today. He questions the goals of educators today. He makes us aware, rather he reminds us that there is a system in place for teachers to use and we must embellish this system little by little in order for it to empower our students.
None of that is directly quoted, but this is how my mind has wrapped around all of the information he provides. I told him thanks for sharing his thoughts because they help me make sense of my own and I will be visiting his blog for as long as I can.
I am starting to see very clearly how learning and teaching methods have changed. They run smoother this way.
Mr. Bower shares excerpts from articles he has read on the education of today. He questions the goals of educators today. He makes us aware, rather he reminds us that there is a system in place for teachers to use and we must embellish this system little by little in order for it to empower our students.
None of that is directly quoted, but this is how my mind has wrapped around all of the information he provides. I told him thanks for sharing his thoughts because they help me make sense of my own and I will be visiting his blog for as long as I can.
I am starting to see very clearly how learning and teaching methods have changed. They run smoother this way.
POST #7
RANDY PAUSCH'S LAST LECTURE...
Wow! What a mind this guy had. He is so full of inspirational quotes and thoughtful analogies. His outlook is unmatched by any dying person that I have known; and believe me, I have known a few. He has a big positive side, but the best part is that he is not stingy with his positivity. He expresses and shares himself so well.
He obviously understands what a dad and a husband's responsibilities are and he intends to fulfill those even when he is not physically here. Pausch understands; he gets it. He tells us that we just have to live life right and carma will take care of itself; dreams will come to you. I am living proof of this. I don't have all of my kinks worked out and some of them that I do straighten will sometimes kink back up, but I do totally understand and believe this man's philosophy. The best thing about this man is that he is not only willing but wanting to share his happiness and common sense in order to help others.
I was feeling so crappy. For what specific reason, I couldn't say. I could speculate but I really didn't know what was bothering me. Thanks to this video that feeling is gone. Well almost, maybe I should watch it again.
Wow! What a mind this guy had. He is so full of inspirational quotes and thoughtful analogies. His outlook is unmatched by any dying person that I have known; and believe me, I have known a few. He has a big positive side, but the best part is that he is not stingy with his positivity. He expresses and shares himself so well.
He obviously understands what a dad and a husband's responsibilities are and he intends to fulfill those even when he is not physically here. Pausch understands; he gets it. He tells us that we just have to live life right and carma will take care of itself; dreams will come to you. I am living proof of this. I don't have all of my kinks worked out and some of them that I do straighten will sometimes kink back up, but I do totally understand and believe this man's philosophy. The best thing about this man is that he is not only willing but wanting to share his happiness and common sense in order to help others.
I was feeling so crappy. For what specific reason, I couldn't say. I could speculate but I really didn't know what was bothering me. Thanks to this video that feeling is gone. Well almost, maybe I should watch it again.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
C4K SUMMARY
The student I was to comment on was a very well-rounded 13 year old named Wade. The first thing he wrote was an "About Me" blog. He was proud to talk about his school life, the sports and fun things in his life, as well as, his family. He seemed like such a dedicated student and someone who knew how to balance the fun with the serious parts of life. Also, Wade wrote a short story about becoming a metamorphic rock which had me hoping that I have a classroom of students with his interest in learning. I was happy to read his blogs and I told him to keep up the good work.
POST # 6
THE NETWORKED STUDENT
Well, is this an example of how paper will be used by the time I am teaching? Ha, Ha. Anywho, this video was very well put together. It surprises me that people are doing this in the classroom. I say this because when I graduated high school in 1999, there wasn't even a computer in every classroom. Really, the only person I remember having a computer at Murphy High School was the secretary. So, this is all new to me.
This does not mean that I am not up to the challenge. I am actually quite excited. I do believe that although I do not have that many technical skills or inclinations, I am learning. Also, I am ready to learn whatever I have to in order to do my best teaching. Much like the teacher in the video, my heart is in my interest in the field of teaching.
I know that as long as my heart is in my job, I will do well. Like I mentioned before, I am excited. Because of the technology available, my students and I will learn so much more than I did when I was young. It seems to me that having a networked classroom is a task that needs constant modification. I am prepared to be that kind of teacher.
7TH GRADER'S PLN
This student is amazing. I was nowhere near as organized or knowledgeable as she when I was in 7th grade! I know that we are, as a people, becoming more technologically intelligent. But, her work is exemplary. I know that she had some guidance but the amount of information that this 7th grader takes in is surprising. When I was in 7th grade mostly what we did was busy work. I did go to a low-income school, but I believe that even if I had a teacher that ran herself ragged, I still wouldn't have been exposed to the amount of information that this young lady has been. I can't wait to be a part of the new classroom.
THE MACHINE IS CHANGING US
This was the most interesting video we have watched so far. As a matter of fact, am going to watch it again and maybe a third time. That's not a joke, by the way. I am only 2 years younger than Mr. Wesch. I am so impressed with his work, the questions he is asking and the knowledge of he and his students. A lot of what he says hits home with me. I have often had these same thoughts and wanted to answer the same questions about the generations in my lifetime.
I guess this is why I want to teach multiple subjects; a little bit of everything interest me. But technology has always scared me. I never thought of it as an outlet for expressing ourselves as humans. I always thought of mass communication as taking away from our sensibility. But while worrying about what bad was going to come from this ability, I hardly ever considered what greatness can come from it.
The idea of recognition, or a new way of thinking about a thing has not ever been scary to me. On the contrary, it has always enticed me. I do not know why my thoughts about technology have been so different, but I believe that I am ready to think about this everyday and hopefully evolve into a the teacher I want to be.
Well, is this an example of how paper will be used by the time I am teaching? Ha, Ha. Anywho, this video was very well put together. It surprises me that people are doing this in the classroom. I say this because when I graduated high school in 1999, there wasn't even a computer in every classroom. Really, the only person I remember having a computer at Murphy High School was the secretary. So, this is all new to me.
This does not mean that I am not up to the challenge. I am actually quite excited. I do believe that although I do not have that many technical skills or inclinations, I am learning. Also, I am ready to learn whatever I have to in order to do my best teaching. Much like the teacher in the video, my heart is in my interest in the field of teaching.
I know that as long as my heart is in my job, I will do well. Like I mentioned before, I am excited. Because of the technology available, my students and I will learn so much more than I did when I was young. It seems to me that having a networked classroom is a task that needs constant modification. I am prepared to be that kind of teacher.
7TH GRADER'S PLN
This student is amazing. I was nowhere near as organized or knowledgeable as she when I was in 7th grade! I know that we are, as a people, becoming more technologically intelligent. But, her work is exemplary. I know that she had some guidance but the amount of information that this 7th grader takes in is surprising. When I was in 7th grade mostly what we did was busy work. I did go to a low-income school, but I believe that even if I had a teacher that ran herself ragged, I still wouldn't have been exposed to the amount of information that this young lady has been. I can't wait to be a part of the new classroom.
THE MACHINE IS CHANGING US
This was the most interesting video we have watched so far. As a matter of fact, am going to watch it again and maybe a third time. That's not a joke, by the way. I am only 2 years younger than Mr. Wesch. I am so impressed with his work, the questions he is asking and the knowledge of he and his students. A lot of what he says hits home with me. I have often had these same thoughts and wanted to answer the same questions about the generations in my lifetime.
I guess this is why I want to teach multiple subjects; a little bit of everything interest me. But technology has always scared me. I never thought of it as an outlet for expressing ourselves as humans. I always thought of mass communication as taking away from our sensibility. But while worrying about what bad was going to come from this ability, I hardly ever considered what greatness can come from it.
The idea of recognition, or a new way of thinking about a thing has not ever been scary to me. On the contrary, it has always enticed me. I do not know why my thoughts about technology have been so different, but I believe that I am ready to think about this everyday and hopefully evolve into a the teacher I want to be.
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