Final Reflection

EDM Final

Here's the link!

My Final (and continually developing) PLN

My PLN has grown exponentially since the last time I examined it. I don't really think about it, it's just become my go-to work station. But I did try the symbaloo thing for a while and wound up dropping that. It was a cool idea and I still have the page, but I think I like what I had before. I've made my internet home page like my dashboard. From there anything I need is just one or two clicks away. Twitter has also developed into a nice addition to my PLN. Admittedly I'm not on it as much, but I have used it to understand that I'm going to explore it a little more when summer comes. I know we've been looking at each others blogs along with countless professionals, but just lately it has really hit me how valuable the blogging network can be in a PLN. Just posting of raw information alone is amazing, but the communication aspect alone expands the playing field incredibly. For one of my other classes we studied an author who was the an expert in that subject, and after a quick google search I posted on his blog. Within a couple of days we had emailed a few times. I would have never imagined that this could have been possible. Blogging connected me, a student who's just now stepping into the classroom for the first time, to a scholar who's been at this for years. I think my PLN is taking me places... and it's something that's ongoing too. I plan on using the skills I've learned here to help me keep learning!

The Metaphor

1. Why did you miss the metaphor in Tom Johnson's post, or, if you "hit the nail on the head", why do you think you understood the metaphor and why do you think that others in the class missed the metaphor?
I won't lie. I completely missed Mr. Spencer's metaphor. To be honest I think I was taking things a little to seriously, and with all my other assignments on top of that, I didn't give it the thought process that I should have. Sometimes going slow has it's benefits, especially when it comes to putting quality thought into the message that's starring you in the face.

2. What metaphors have you encountered since I asked you to create a log of them?
1 We're rolling in the dough
2 Life is a box of chocolates 
3 She's the apple of my eye
4 My minds exploding with all these thoughts bouncing around
5 It's been walking around my head
6 Kicked the bucket
7 I have spaghetti legs
8 Love is a battlefield 
9 Baby I'm a prize and you're a catch and we're a perfect match
10 They are two pees in a pod
11 He baited the conversation to get the answer he wanted
12 You have to hook the reader with your introduction 
13 Pencil Integration through the eyes of Tom Johnson 
14 I'm just a rat in the cage 
15 You stabbed my in the back
16 Jerry landed tickets for us at the concert
17 Keep the rhythm right there in the pocket
18 That class is full of a bunch of mouth breathers
19 It's time to hit the grind
20 I hit the sack when I got back to my dorm
21 That kid has been sawing logs all class period 
23 The apple doesn't fall far from the tree
24 That joker's a lose cannon
25 Aren't you just cheeky today?
26 He's like a one man band
And so on... I'm stopping there because this list will probably go on forever.


3. What other things can we do as educators to help our students to understand and to use metaphors?
I believe if we use them more often then our students would understand them. Even challenge them with deep metaphors that may seem a little beyond their reach and help them along to understand what's going on. It hits on a creative and in depth form of thought that can be a transition into any subject in the classroom. 

4. Why do we use metaphors?
They make life interesting! Imagine reading a book without metaphors. It would be like describing events written through an extremely boring textbook. They also provide us with a whole new level of creativity to express what we're thinking. We use them so often were unconscious about it, but if you were to really think about it and try to speak without using metaphors, I believe you'd find yourself a little frustrated. Metaphors provoke a whole new train of thought. One that challenges us to think further than what's just sitting right in front of you. 

C4T #4

Teacher Tom's Blog
  

Teacher Tom!

     Teacher Tom's blog is one that I will revisit often! I looked not only at a few of his posts, but also at his school system he has set up. Using the Cooperative System, he has designed a pre-school setting that is really plugged into the surrounding community. His last post was somewhat of a progress report of the schools functioning, but he also mentioned how he is finding and using resources fro the surrounding community. He'll visit estate or garage sale's did through construction scraps and other places like that to find materials for his classroom. In his own words, he calls the teaching catalogs a "last resort" for his classroom. I think this really cool. I let him know in my post, but to me this is extremely innovative! The way he not only brings the surrounding community into the classroom but uses it to find resources. I hope to learn more from Teacher Tom in the future and find ways to make my classroom look more like his.

     His second post was the result of a little spring cleaning. While rumbling through the closet and old storage spaces Mr. Tom found tons of odds and ends that he didn't want to throw away, but couldn't really use in an activity by themselves. So he decided to bring them all out at once, step back, and just let the kids figure out good uses for them. Pretty soon pyramids were being formed by empty yogurt containers, foam blocks became the source of hours of entertainment, and puzzles were being made from left over frame scraps. I saw how amazing it was that children can create wonderful things from absolutely nothing... and do it extremely well. I commented the first thought that popped into my mind. "How often do we limit our students with our rules and regulations?" Almost the entire time at school we're given a certain combination or certain pattern to solve problems. Very rarely are we given a load of materials and then told, "Knock it our kid, see what you can do with it." But what would things look like if we did? I think we would find ourselves in the midst of great minds in every classroom we step in. I believe those great minds are always there and have always been. We just don't give them the chance to show that.

C4K #9

My First comment brought me into a classroom all the way in Egypt. Their latest posts commented about a few projects they had been working on. One of the most notable topics was their classroom reading project. They got to choose their favorite character in the story they were reading and then they took turns acting out different scenes. Another thing they mentioned were the projects they were doing in different languages! This is what stood out the most to me, and it's what I commented back on. I thought it was pretty amazing they could do different school projects in at least three different languages! I told them how I wished our school systems here required us to learn more than one language, because while they are 10 and 13 year olds and already fluent in three languages, I'm 20 and just now picking up Spanish.

Mrs. Yollis' Class Blog

Mrs. Yollis' class has been doing something that I think is very interesting. Through their class blog, not only have they connected with other students in classroom across the world, they have also brought invited their friends and family members into the classroom! What a great way to connect families and the local community into the school! Mrs. Yollis has also advocated many lessons while the family blogging moth has been going on. For instance she has shown her students how to navigate the internet safely and also explained how to leave a well structured, grammatically correct comment that pertains to the material on the blog. I commented on their great idea and the success they've been having!

Jaden's Awesome Blog
     Jaden has picked a mascot for his blog named Mr. California! Mr. California is a chipmunk who enjoys playing all kinds of sports like basketball, soccer, baseball, hockey, and tennis. He also mentions his friends from other blogs that are all classmates. I commented back and told him that I didn't have a mascot for my blog yet! If I had to pick one it would be Mr. Chompers, an alligator from Key Largo, Florida who likes to swim and relax in the sun all day. Hopefully both Mr. California and Jaden will comment back!

A Little About ALEX and ACCESS

The Alabama Learning Exchange
    The Alabama learning exchange is a website that connects teachers, students, and parents through the internet. To me it seems to serve a few different purposes. In one aspect, it connects parents to the classroom. There is an abundance of links connecting to the Department of Education so parents can stay up to date in the local school systems. Links that connect them to academic material that their children are learning while at school and other resources that help them better understand what is going on inside the classroom. In another light, it is a great tool for teachers to share and collaborate on their ideas for their classroom. There is a database of lesson plans for every subject and all topics covered in those subject areas. English teachers can collaborate on lessons covering Macbeth with other professionals all across the state through this one website. There are also resources for students to connect to the Alabama Virtual Library and links that will help them find online tutoring for all subjects. This website connects those inside and outside the classroom so they understand what's going on, and where to get help if they need it.

Alabama Connected Classrooms, Educators, & Students Statewide
  The Alabama Connected Classrooms is an online program that sets up an extensive online learning network through the Alabama Department of Education. With Interactive Videoconferencing (IVC) and other online resources, they provide an education environment for high school students to collaborate and learn. It is essentially an online PLN for students to acquire real academic credit towards their highs school and potentially college career.


     Both of these resources can be extremely useful inside my future classroom. To connect them back to student success and academic achievement, I could recommend these websites to students who are struggling in certain fields, but even more importantly I could use these to help me become a better educator. If my class is having a hard time with a topic I can see what other teachers are doing and try their ideas in the classroom and see if there is more success. It's a wonderful way to keep yourself up to date and relevant as a teacher. There are also tons of resources for students that I would definitely point out for their benefit. I remember using the Alabama Virtual Library when I was a student and I thought it was the most amazing thing in the world. That was my first taste of how the internet can be used academically. Both of these websites bring technology into the classroom in a manner that influences the students to see their computer through a different lens. Suddenly the laptop becomes more than an online socialization surfer, it becomes a very valuable tool they can use at school.

The Last Project Progress Report

I'm in a group with Mary Ashely and Cherish. We've met a few times, and I'd say our brainstorming has been along the lines of presenting and solving problems found on campus. We started on a much bigger scale, but so far this ones been kinda the driving force. We've also been looking at other things inside our classes that could be influenced by what we've learned in EDM 310. Still looking at the drawing board with bunches of ideas. Hopefully it'll turn into a pretty good post later on!

Project 15

Me and Mary Ashely York got together and created a video for the First Gift USA competition. It turned out well! and hopefully we'll be able to post it after the judges view it.

Post 12 - An Idea

     Ever since I started this class, many of my thoughts have been geared towards using the things I'm learning in my other education classes. Yesterday I commented on a Egyptian students blog and in my Education in a diverse society, we have addressed the differences in the languages that other countries teach. Here is a potentially unique ability to exchange ideas or learn from a group of 6th grade students who are currently doing projects in three different languages while I'm in college and just now trying to pick up for the first time. There are so many different avenues one can go down in this scenario, and lots of potential to learn something unique.
     Often I hear students in EDM 310 talk about the things we do in this class, but only in the context of EDM 310. I don't think some of them grasp what we are doing is much more than one class and I'm afraid they will limit it to one class when there are a multitude of opportunities to use the skills we have learned. So I propose that in some manner or another, you incorporate one of your other classes into the skills you have learned in EDM 310. Wether it's as simple as finding and posting on a known icon in the field of the other subject or putting together a research project. See how you can connect the dots, because the possibilities are endless. See how far you can take the ideas you have learned in EDM 310.

Blog Assignment #12 - Break The Mold
      Much that you learn in EDM 310 is about collaborating, creating, and thinking critically with others through the use of technology, so that is what you are going to do. Only this time it will not be in the context of EDM 310. This time, the topic is  NOT about using technology in the academic setting! We have talked to many professionals on this topic and we have many wonderful ideas, so now DON'T talk about using technology in an educational environment, just use it in an educational environment.
  
    


      How can you merge the other classes you are taking this semester with the things you have learned in EDM 310? What can you gain by taking the technological savvy skills you have learned in EDM and inserting them into your other classes? 


     Your next post will be that combination. No stipulations or limits but BE CREATIVE and THINK CRITICALLY! The no stipulation thing is so you have all the room in the world to do something amazing... not cut the project short.

     IDEAS = collaborating with known professionals in a different field using technology - creating an "online textbook" with blog posts, videos, wikis, etc. - skype interviewing - collaborating with other classes - creating a website or blog with other topics - connecting the classroom you're in now through the use of technology...

                                             Anything you have learned how to  do in EDM 310, but this time the topic does not concern EDM 310, just the skills you have learned here. 

Let's see if we can apply what we know in a different context!

My Example

For my Education in a Diverse Society class (EDF 315) I am currently compiling research and other information to write a paper that will be my final project. Seeing as this is semester wide assignment that will be turned in at the end of the term, there is lots and lots of research, and there loads of things I need to find out.

So first, I made an account on Evernote. This way anytime I see something that reminds me of my project or stumble across anything that I think would be a good to add I compile it through evernote.

While looking at blogs and websites of those who are knowledgeable in the subject I would copy links, pictures, documents anything... all into evernote. Just to see what it was like. This is the first time I've ever used it, and when I sat down and started writing my paper it made things go very smoothly. Instead of hunting for sources and ideas while I was trying to compose a paper, I'd already gathered them and they were only a click away through my account.

I also networked with many others using (gasp I know) Facebook. I know I know, it doesn't hold a candle to other networks we have been exposed to, but this is the one my teacher uses. Through this she constantly posts links, news articles, videos, and many other current events pertaining to education in a diverse society. Anything that I found and deemed potentially useful went straight into my evernote account. Anything that I downloaded from the docsharing aspect from USA online also went straight into evernote.

Finally (this is how far I am now) I opened a google doc where I uploaded my work in progress project. Sharing it with family members, classmates, professors, and a few trusted friends, anytime I make changes they give corrections, ideas, an any advice they think would make the presentation better!

So it's still a work in progress. I'm still browsing the internet finding new ideas, my evernote account is still expanding, and my google doc has much more to grow, but it is coming together very smoothly because if the things I have learned in EDM 310.

Stepping Into Mr. McCLung's World

     

Mr. McClung is now another acquaintance thanks to my EDM class. He has used his blog in a way that connects his students, the school's academic side, the extracurricular activities of the school, parents, teachers, and even makes it personal by throwing in things that are interests to him. To me he has done a great job with it and after taking an in depth look I have learned a lot. 

1. What do you know (or have you found out) about Mr. McClung that is reflected in the way he has constructed his class blog? He's very conscious about how one can use the internet to collaborate and expand. There are tons of links to other teachers and websites that are extremely helpful, he has his blog set up in manner that ties the whole school together rather than just his class. It's almost as if he uses it to connect his classroom to the entire school, community, and even an national/international due to the access of the internet.

2. Comment on what you would say about Mr. McClung as an educator. We have all had teachers who believe that students are there to listen and learn. That teachers are their to teach and that's just how the system works. That is teaching, but an education is something entirely different. An education is where students learn how to learn through many different mediums and with open minds. Just by looking at his blog, I get the feeling Mr. McClung supplies his students with an education that is worth while, rather than teaching and drilling his students with facts they will try to spit back out at him.

3. I asked above that you read Mr. McClung's "rules" and think about them. What do they say about Mr. McClung, his teaching, and his connection with his students? What is your reaction to these rules (and guides) as a student and as an aspiring teacher?  He is a very high-energy, collaborative, and involved teacher. He expects the students to be involved, and his class revolves around his students. As an aspiring teacher I hope I can do the same things he is doing. Even by doing silly things as the class-yes game, he brings his students into the lesson and at the same time they're having fun. You can't really beat that. Also the way he explains they will depend on each other to learn is very important to me. It shows he values his students' opinions and ideas.

4. What was the first thing under Everyone needs? Why do you suppose that is the first requirement? A day planner, because everyone needs to learn how to organize their work schedule. If they use this, it will only help them better balance out their school schedule and help them greatly in the future. Although I didn't like it at the time, the teachers I had that constantly told us to use our planners really helped later on. It teaches you how to take on more responsibility with your work.

5. Note the penalties for being late (under Homework). Compare them with my penalties for being late. Comment. You can still get credit for late work. Like our class, you won't get full credit by any means, but you still get some. I think it's good to have a system like that because student are going to turn things in late. Things pile up or sometimes we forget and then before you know it, the deadline has passed. What's good about this system is that there is still incentive to learn the material or do the activity. If there's no credit offered most likely students just won't do it at all and miss out on a potentially good learning experience.

6. Read carefully his paragraph about what he hopes to accomplish with his blog. Comment and apply to your own aspirations as a teacher. It's a collaborative tool. He uses it to link the students, teachers, and parents to things happening both inside and outside the classroom. By posting links and other information in comments he also uses it as a tool for exchanging information for all groups involved. I want to use technology to do the same things for my students. Use it as a way to connect students to teachers to parents to other students and exchange information and ideas throughout the web. What a great way to learn.

7. I asked you to review at least two Useful Links in depth after reviewing all of them. Which two did you review in depth? Describe each of the two. How might each be used? Why do you think each made Mr. McClung's list. I viewed the World War II Propaganda website, and to me that one was really cool. Mr. McClung teachers a history class and I can see this as a valuable tool for homework assignments or class projects. The site just had archives of different posters, advertisements, and other published works from all sides of the war. It would also spark up some great conversations in the classroom. After poking around that one I checked out the Convince Me website. Convince Me is a place where others can start debates, listen in on debates, or supply their side to a debate on any topic one can imagine. There is the fair share of silly ones such as "pirates vs ninjas," but then there are politically active ones and others that are centered around current events going on in the world. It's neat because you only have so much space to say your point. A paragraph or so at the most, so you must be precise and effective. The website provides students a place to see things from different perspectives and hear ideas that maybe they wouldn't have thought on their own. I think both of these made the list because they invoke thought, and both can be used for a variety of reasons.

8. Under Internet Safety I asked you to read carefully the rules Mr. McClung sets forth for safely using the internet. Comment on these rules. Are there any you would add or subtract. Part of me thinks that the nickname thing is a little bit over the top, just because if you have a facebook practically everyone can find out anything about you, but for a classroom setting I understand completely. I think his rules and guidelines a very clear and effective. I sure wouldn't take anything away, and to be honest I can't think of anything to add. Maybe something about not clicking on links in the sides of the webpages they are using. Sometimes those can be questionable.

9. In the C4K part of this blog I asked that you look carefully at one of the categories under which you assigned post was filed. What did you find? Select one of the posts in the category and review it for me. I viewed the Lesson Two - Tryouts post. Apparently many of the student organizations hold big tryouts all at the same time for various activities. This can be quite taxing on the teachers because that will be the only thing students are thinking about during the entire week. Even if they tried out and they get their results at the end of the week, it seems like the only thing that attracts their focus are the discussions about tryouts. It was about Mr. McClung looking forward to an end to all the drama of tryout week.

10. Mr. McClung uses Edublog as his blog host. In some ways it may seem more "advanced." But Blogger has many abilities that we have not covered in EDM310. This leads to this question: Is there anything (or things) that Mr. McClung can do with his blog that you would like to do in Blogger? I would like to learn how to create a layout like his. He has all the tabs on the top and different things all over the place that not only make it look nice, but also make it extremely easy to use. I would like to learn about the different abilities of the different blogging websites and pick one that suits my ideas the best. I also liked the music in the sidebar and the different buttons that make his blog easily navigated. He's got loads of information on there and you can find it ll easily the way he has the page all laid out. 

11. In what ways does Mr. McClung make his blog useful to parents, teachers, administrators, students like you, and others? It's useful to them because it extends the classroom out to them. By simply clicking a button they know everything that's going on in their child's classroom, and they can also contact the teacher easily. That in itself is a huge accomplishment.

12. How does Mr. McClung's 8th grade blog differs from other blogs you have visited including other 8th grade blogs? Why the differences do you think? To me his is much more detailed and embedded in the school. Other class blogs seem to be limited to that class only, but what I like about Mr. McClung's is that it opens doors throughout the entire school. He has posts about the talent show and other school fundraisers and it's also focused around connecting parents to the classroom as well. Not to say that the other blogs weren't good, but to me his went a little above and beyond. 

     I'm really glad Mr. McCLung's blog made the list! I've learned much about the things I wish to learn, and how I will incorporate the idea of a class blog into my future classrooms. 

Blog Post 11 - Learning from Mrs. Cassidy

Mrs. Cassidy teaches a first grade class in Moose Jaw, Canada who has been extremely successful in integrating technology in her classroom. Below is a video that she made with her students.

     After being introduced to Mrs. Cassidy through twitter, Dr. Strange and a few EDM students were fortunate enough to sit down and have an interview with her. In the interview (click the link if you wish to check it out) Mrs. Cassidy shared a few ideas on her success with her students.
     I think the hardest thing we will have to do is be able to convince others that technology is worth the time and effort in the classroom, and it appeared to me that that was no problem with Mrs. Cassidy. Listening to her talk about the projects her students are doing and how well things are going it was amazing to see how excited she was. I found myself wondering what our schools would look like if all (or even just half) the teachers shared her outlook. She was extremely excited so the students were excited and they were covering lots of academic ground, collaborating outside of the classroom, learning through many different mediums all while having fun. She not only brought technology into her school, but she was having great success with it.
     Fortunately enough mentions that she has never had many run ins with her staff or administration. I foresee administrative attitudes either being extremely helpful or being the biggest obstacle. Like she said, as far as the other teachers, some will be resistant and others enthusiasts, but the administration pretty much makes the final decision. I think the best way around this is simply showing them all the potential technology offers. Showing them examples that have been successful like Mrs. Cassidy's class always helps.
     What I think we can learn the most from Mrs. Cassidy's output, is her attitude as a teacher. She states that we must always be learning. This is something I want to integrate into my classrooms in collaboration with my students. Much like Dr. Strange did with twitter. He didn't understand it, so both him and his students took it on to see if it was worth while. And it was! now both sides have learned another valuable  tool in their PLN. That's my biggest takeaway. Integrating a collaborative, open minded and accepting academic environment inside my classroom using technology.

My How To Project!

How to play Bananagrams with my little sister Mallory.

C4T #3

     Pernille Ripp is a fourth grade teacher, and the first post I read by here was What Have I Done? In this post she voices her concern for teaching students how to think critically. In her classroom she encourages students to speak up and places value on each individuals voice, but she also understands that this is very different from the mainstream classroom. She is encouraging students to talk and think while other teachers are simply throwing information at the class, and she'e concerned how this will affect her students in those other settings.
     I replied and told her what she was doing was great. I believe students need that, so the challenge for us a teachers becomes not how to teach kids how to think critically (they can do that amazingly if we just let them), but how do we teach them to walk in both worlds. In her classroom critical thinking is encouraged, yet in others it's not, but that doesn't mean students shouldn't think critically in those environments. It's a challenge to bridge that gap, and often I think we'll find ourselves wondering the same thing as Mrs. Ripp. Asking if we are really doing the right thing, but I believe that we are.

     The second post by Mrs. Ripp talked about using a child's name when trying to discipline them. During class if a student is not paying attention or off track then most teachers tend to use the students name. "John sit up," or "Ellen quite drawing," are pretty common in our classrooms, but Mrs. Ripp explains how this can be harmful. By using a students name, now the whole class knows exactly who is not doing what. Suddenly all of the attention is focused on that one student, and for some, this can be a crippling embarrassing moment.
     I commented back agreeing with her. She offers multiple alternatives, but what I commented on was how she related the class back to her students. She stumbled across the idea from a student who, during a class assignment, told her that being called out in class like this is embarrassing. She centered an activity around student's opinions, and then she took that advice. I hope to learn how to center my classroom around my students the way she does.

Post #10

An Open Letter to Educators
     Morgan Bayda's blog post includes a video from Dan Brown where he explains his positioning on the education system of today. Through the video, Dan Brown explains how the educational society has evolved from it's beginnings. In the past knowledge was a owned by the few, and the masses were left out. This changed as society changed. Today knowledge has reached a whole new level of availability. Information is not only everywhere, but it is also free.
     How does this apply to the school systems today? This means that the traditional styles of teaching are not only outdated, but harmful to our students. Brown explains why he dropped out of school because the subject material was not only boring, but irrelevant. The classroom tended to be one way. The teacher was there to teach and the student as there to learn and memorize facts. A classroom where collaboration was hindered and critical thinking was all together absent.
     Although Morgan Bayda does agree with Brown, both of us tend to disagree with his decision to drop out. Morgan states how she has trouble staying awake in those classes, and I too find myself dosing off in those situations. Apparently Morgan's EDM class is much like our own in which we are challenged to think for ourselves and collaborate with other classmates to get the most our of our time. We are challenged to be creative and think critically about everything around us. To question everything we knew and either agree with it with a better understanding, or change it to suit our new thoughts. When we experience classrooms like this we wonder why the others are not the same. Not that all classes should be carbon copies, but I start to question things when the only interaction I have in a class is where walk in, sit down, listen, maybe scribble a few notes, and then leave.

Skype Interview

I choose to interview my parents for this project. They are both teachers in the Shelby County public schools system in central Alabama. Dad, Jon Bubbett, is the band director at Thompson High School and Mom, Jeannie Bubbett, is the choir director at Thompson Middle School. This is just a short discussion about how they use technology in their classrooms. Check it out here, or just watch it below.

C4K #6

     Lately I've been commenting on Paul's posts in Mr. Englehard's class. Paul was asked what his favorite song was, and he chose "The Hippopotamus Song" as his favorite. He said it's one of his favorites because when you start to sing it you just want to sing louder and louder and it makes him laugh harder and harder! To make his post even better he found a video of a hippopotamus in a zoo that is making a really loud laughing sound for all the people watching him play in the water.
    I told him I have never before seen or heard a hippopotamus laugh until I watched his video. I also mentioned how it would be really cool if there was a part in "The Hippopotamus Song" where everyone laughed like a hippo, but I'm not sure which version of the song he's talking about. After looking around online I found many different versions.
     Paul's latest post is a letter written to the manager of a fake restaurant called Rusty's restaurant. In this letter he addresses his dissatisfaction of both the food and the service. Probably the most disturbing about this make believe restaurant is the fact that they mixed up his order of a hamburger with liver and onions, and it took them four hours to get their food! It was to much relief when he explained how the experience was fake and not real.
     My comment about Rusty's stated that I was glad to know that Paul didn't really sit at a table for four hours and get the wrong food! I couldn't imagine going to a restaurant and receiving that kind of service!

Post #9

     Mr. McClung is standing on the other side of one of the things I'm most nervous about. After his first year of teaching he reflects on the past year in his blog post What I've Learned This Year. I imagine that lots of things change from the time we first step into a classroom to the time the spring semester ends for summer. Mr. McClung shares how he grew in those months during his first teaching experiences.
     He begins by stating how he along with many other teachers have lost the point of our lessons, the students. By becoming consumed in our deliverance and how we present materials, we lose track of the main factors sitting right in front of us. This idea slides right into his next point of being flexible with your lessons and your class.

     The lesson you teach and the lesson you plan are always different.

     Personally this is my biggest challenge. Things won't always go the way we plan them, and we cannot let changes or unexpected events hold us up. Mr. McClung also explains how communication is a vital skill we must learn in our school settings. It sounds silly to mention it, but communication skills can often be the most difficult to develop. In school setting they are the most important to grow relationships between both students and our coworkers, because simply letting the students know you care about them can make the biggest difference. Another aspect of teaching is to be reasonable. We set goals for students, and sometimes they don't meet them. And that's ok. Our job is not to scold them, but to encourage them to try again. We must also not be afraid of the ever changing world of technology. It will be in our students lives so we should learn how to embrace that in the classroom. And as always, we must continue to learn. We should learn things as we listen to our students and interact in our classrooms. We must continually strive to learn new things to relay to our students and together we will grow in many ways.
     I'm nervous about those first experiences. It's one of those terrified/excited deals, but I hope I remember Mr. McClung's thoughts. I have a feeling those will be of great value while standing in front of a classroom. Every individual aspect holds vital importance to being a inspiring educator, but what is amazing is how they connect. If you are centering the lessons around your students, you're most likely listening to them. If you're listening to them, you will probably learn about technology, because they will be talking about it all the time. If you're talking and reacting to them, you're communicating and learning becomes a two way street, and if you're being flexible you're most likely being reasonable with your class.
      The hardest part is not starting this shift, it's keeping it. Staying positive... even when your house of cards falls with the slightest movement. It's a challenge to continually strive for.
Thanks Mr. McClung,
              ~ Miles

Smart Board Lesson

Randy Paush's Last Lecture

    Where to begin...? Randy Paush's message is one to digest, and to be completely honest I don't think it's one we ever completely swallow and be done with. Randy Paush has left this world leaving behind a challenge. A challenge to live one's life to the fullest, to live for others, and to live to have fun. He lives his lessons and before he leaves, encourages us to do the same.
     While most of the world would tell children to stop dreaming in class, I think Randy would encourage it. He would encourage you to dream and then ask you to bring the ideas, the projections, the technologies that bounced around you head and let them flow throughout your classrooms. Why shouldn't they? The title of his lecture is called "Chasing Your Childhood Dreams," so that should tell you he places lots of emphasis on mixing the innovations of technology with students individual creativity.
     Tangled in his use of technological jargon are the hints of much bigger and deeper messages. Messages to follow your dreams, but live for others. Live a life of servitude, but do it through your own innovations, and never give up when obstacles appear in the path. He describes the "brick walls" in life, not as a hinderance, but as an opportunity. An opportunity to show how bad you want whatever you are trying to achieve. A chance to prove you can rise to their level and overcome problems that stand in the way.
     Although he seems to address the individuals, he speaks to teachers. He explains how these ideas must be fostered in classrooms throughout the world. We are here to show them their potential and then help them achieve it. We are the ones who must encourage them to dream and then to chase. We are the ones who must challenge them to stand again, after they hit a brick wall. We are the ones who must live for them... so they can see the day their dreams come true.
     Finally he drops back to another aspect he called the "head fake." Pulling on his years of playing football he describes how this was a way of teaching an aspect about the game, but representing a much deeper message about life in general. In other words, teachers aren't here to teach about one particular subject. Teachers are called to teach a way of living that will challenge their students to flourish in their future. At the end he reveals the "head fake" of this specific lecture. He reveals the lecture is not about simply chasing dreams, but about living a full and joyous life. And he closes his last lecture leaving everyone with a stirred set of emotions... he closes his last lecture with a dedication. A dedication to his three children. Because he will not be around to see them through it, he leaves his guide through life in a lecture. Leaving behind words of wisdom that we should all strive to reach everyday.

Time Toast #2 - Chis Thile

Check The Link!! 
http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/118046

Blog #6

The Networked Student
      I believe we have no choice but to be ready for this type of education. Whether we choose to be activists of this style of teaching or not, others will be, and it is the direction our world is heading. Personally I believe that if we are not a part of this evolving world of technology, we are failing our students. We are stepping into a world where innovation is catapulted by technology, and by the time our students step into our classrooms, their world will be unlike anything we can imagine. To give them the means for their success we must show them how to use this technology as a tool for them to engage their world. We must challenge them to become active on their own creativity and individual innovation in order for them to step into their world and engage it, rather than accepting the standard, coping with problems, and watching opportunities roll by.
     As a future teacher I can honestly say I am learning how to incorporate connectivism into the classroom. If you were to throw me into a classroom today I would find myself facing a very steep learning curve on my part, but even if I did understand more, the learning curve should always be steep. Even after we get a degree our education should never stop. Teachers are needed to guide youth through this online world. This online world is always changing so teachers must always stay up to par with the latest and greatest ideas in order to keep up with their students. 
     Although the need for teachers may seem irrelevant, they are very much needed in this world of technology. Technology is not replacing teachers, but it is causing teachers to adapt and re-mold their pedagogy. We are guides. It's confusing and intimidating trying to figure out new technologies, blogs, networks, documents, etc. on our own. We are here to help navigate and explore with our future classrooms. 








Personal Learning Environments
     After seeing this 7th graders personal learning environment, I have been inspired to use the project she uses! Mine is much like her's with the use of multiple mediums and numerous websites. She talked about using blogs and networking with other students to gain feedback or pass ideas around. It's much like the learning environment I have created through the stuff I've learned in EDM310. The only difference is she is in 7th grade and I'm a sophomore in college... wish I could have had the same opportunities at that age!!








The Smartboard Battle
     There are numerous opinions revolving around the use of Smartboards. Michael Staton presents his article Why Smartboards Are Dumb in opposition to the new equipment, and Bill Ferriter apparently agrees in his work Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards. On the other hand James Hollis has designated a twitter account where teachers share ideas and find new possibilities using the smartboard. It is a network based on people who use, and love smartboards! Where is the disconnect?
     Both Staton and Ferriter point out very valid problems that smartboards cause. One of their main concern is money. Smartboards are extremely expensive, and they are often burn up much of the funding designated by the schools for technology. They are also a misinterpretation of how well your school is doing. Administrators will point to their boards and say "We're doing pretty well," while in reality they don't make that much improvement in the classrooms. But Hollis along with his network have overcome those ideas. They understand the smartboard is very complex and very time consuming to learn, but it in turn can lead to some pretty neat things inside the classroom. There tweets are full of online resources for different lessons for all ages that are centered around the use of the smartboard. 
      I cannot say which side I agree with yet because I have not put in the time using a smartboard. After constructing a few lessons with the interactive white board, I'll let you know what I think.

Belated Blog Post #3

Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today

     Michael Wesch's video put into perspective the challenges we, as students, deal with. It was interesting to see the different and aspects that each student had that were either similar to mine or not. I believe everyone has their on set of individual challenges, but there are many universal issues we bear together. The challenges of our generations to understand that "I did not create these problems. But they are MY problems," or to recognize that when we graduate we will be competing for a job that currently doesn't exist, those things are not easy to hear. Our education holds weight that is hard to understand. How do we prepare for this world that is shifting right under our feet?

      To fit more of my college experience I would add something concerning the number of pages I read a night for classes. A sheet of paper that stated "I more hours in a text book than anywhere else." Another thing that could make this video grow would be to add a sense of cultural diversity. Imagine how much more of an impact this video could hold if it was based on a global level. I understand this was most likely a classroom project, but what if...

        I want to know the visions the students have on a global perspective in today's world. 

It’s Not about the Technology

     

     Kelly Hines reminds us not to lose what started the fire. In her post she describes technology and teachers pedagogy as a beautiful combination rather than technology becoming a replacement for teachers. She is not preposing that we keep technology outside the classroom, she's encouraging to incorporate it into the teaching style. What she preposes is that we change our teaching strategies to step up to the world we live in. 
     Teachers must continue their education outside of the occasional faculty meetings, they must try different ways to teach students who don't understand where the class is going, and they must collide technology with critical thinking and problem solving skills. She encourages the use of technology to customize the learning experience of each class in a way that each child can better understand the world around them. To use technology as a tool to reach their own conclusions instead of an answer.








Is It ok to be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?

     Karl Fisch takes a pretty critical stance with the relationship between teachers and technology. Although some might believe his statement of technology holding of equal importance as being literate, I agree with him. We are preparing students for a wold we cannot imagine. The only thing we are certain of that world is the influence of technology will be much greater than it is now. How can we expect them to flourish if we don't know how to navigate the technology we have today? We will not know what the computers in their future will be able to do, but we can teach them how to learn. How to discern the different uses and think critically around problems and ideas they come across through the lens of a technologically savvy person.

     Fisch collaborates with a post from Terry Freedman, who vocalizes a pretty strict set of standards for teachers. Freedman states "Head-teachers and Principals who have staff who are technologically-illiterate should be held to account," 

and I agree with this standpoint. How are we supposed to bridge the gaps if we don't understand how the system works?

The Social Media Counter....
It's amazing how much goes on in just a matter of seconds. I know my students are apart of this world. I mean I'm a student now who's sitting here typing up a blog post. I saw the iPad purchases added to the list and it made me wonder what other products or types of media will be added by the time I am a teacher. It means, for my career, I need to keep up with what's going on in the world. For my students sake, I can never stop learning.

Podcast

EDM 310 iTuneU by Miles Bubbett

My Sentence Project

#4

Dr. Scott McLeod's Post
Dr. Mcleod is a professor Iowa State University in the Educational Administrative Program, and he encourages the use of technology as a style of leadership. His post Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please? catches the contrast between the benefits and the risks of using technology inside the classrooms. The opposition is technology grants access to bad materials on the internet, and yes this is true, but there is also lots of good coming from the internet. To me it's just like when you go anywhere else in the real world, you pick and choose what you do. You don't have to go to the bad places in town just because they are there. It's same thing online. Also the way the world is shifting, it is potentially more dangerous to withhold technological education from your students. They will have no idea how to function in the world around them if they are never taught how to use it.




The iSchool Initiative 
     This student has found himself in the same position that other students across the United States are in. Their schools funding has dried up and now there are cuts being made, resources lost, and classroom sizes growing; however, Travis Allen (student) is aware of what's happening and is encouraging technology as the answer. He first shows the use of numerous applications on the iTouch and explains how each of them can be used int the classroom. Applications like the graphing calculator, formula plug ins, space walker, and also basic things like the email system are all on his list of resources.
      After explaining the uses of the application he puts a spin of practicality in his argument by revealing the benefits to the schools who would use this technological system. Allen examines the budgets that holds students in the schools today resides around $600, yet if this new technology is integrated into classrooms it would only cost around $150. These numbers are per student. Imagine how much the school could benefit from simply trying this out with a hundred students? I say it's worth a try.





The Lost Generation
     I'm not sure if the video is a program you simply plug things into, or if she designed it herself. Either way she had to write the speech so it could be read both backwards and forwards. It was pretty neat the way it scrolled, and her message was really powerful. As bleak as it sounds, this is the prediction of my generation. But as the girl explains, it doesn't have to be. The odds are stacked up against us and the problems we are dealing with are massive, but it doesn't mean we should give up. The second we start thinking we cannot make a difference is the second we have lost the power to make that difference.




Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
I have actually had a chance to meet Eric Whitacre in person. Like I said, both my parents are music teachers and both have performed woks by him. When I first saw the video a while ago I was amazed that this could even be possible, but that's how fast the world of technology is changing! It is amazing that we can have such a close interaction with people who are literally on the other side of world. These people used technology as an outlet to create, converge, and explore music in a whole new medium. I can only wonder where we'll be in the next few years.

What Does I Mean To Teach in the 21st Century?
    This video could also be named "A Guide for Teachers in Classrooms Today." I strongly agree with the points made in this video. To use technology, because the students already are, in a way that can be brought into the school systems. To use computers not as a source on entertainment, but as a way of engagement. I think that is the biggest disconnect. Teachers think technology is a toy and not always a resource. They look at the games and negative images associated with it, but they don't always see the potential behind a single iPod. One of the new iPods can do more things than we can imagine, but we won't harness that power until teachers look at it as a vessel rather than a game machine.
     To teach in todays world means to engage. To embrace the resources we have and explore how far they can help us grow. Not to accept everything we find using technology, but to use technology to examine and come to our own conclusions. We need to know how to use these computers, but still think critically about what we find. As teachers we are outdated if we are still trying to pump facts into their heads because they can find the facts out in a matter of seconds on their cell phones. Instead we should teach them how to examine the world and draw their own conclusions.

Harnessing Your Student's Digital Smarts

     I think the students that have Vicki Davis as a teacher in high school will have a much easier time in EDM310 than those who didn't! It's really cool that she has found a way to take the curriculum she has to cover, but has turned it into a whole new learning experience. Not only are her students learning to use the computers in their classroom, they are also networking with people from all over the world! Simply having a conversation with people across the planet will broaden your horizon's, but they are bouncing ideas back and forth and doing projects with each other. These students aren't just learning how to make a power point presentation, they are learning how to learn and grow with one another.
     To understand how effective technology can be is extremely useful. Learning how to communicate with the rest of the world and learn through an international perspective will gear those students to understand the world they are stepping into. National borders are starting to fade with technology and the influx of immigration all over the planet. Mrs. Davis has jump-started this learning experience and hopefully the knowledge will spread.

          Here's the video.

Cecilia Gault's Interview

     The experience of the interview holds just as much importance as the content of the interview in Cecilia Gault's case. Not only is she being challenged to think in complex ways from an early start, she is also getting to speak face to face with some of the best thought provoking individuals concerning education. In all seriousness I'm jealous. She gets to see one of his presentations and then gets an interview while all I have is a link on a website with a video. Literally a link like this. (actually takes you to the page). And that's the difference...

     To ensure that the students inside my classroom have the best education they can get I need to challenge them to think in different ways, expose them to different ideas, and inspire their own form of creativity through all the new information they will receive. We need to kick them out of the classrooms and into the museums, into other schools to see the ideas bouncing around in other places, into different cultures to see what other civilizations have to offer. As teachers, we love to lecture on all this, but there is something about actually getting your hands dirty that changes your experience. There's something much different than watching a 20 minute video rather than actually being there and having a personal conversation. Maybe I'll be able to catch the next presentation Sir Ken Robinson does. Maybe one day I'll be able to take an entire class to one of his presentations.

   ~ Miles

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

This video touches on two different topics that I think cripple our schools today. The first being the force fed curriculum and values placed in our school systems today. Sir Robinson mentions the top regarded subjects in education systems across the world. The top being the literacy, math and the sciences while the bottom is the humanities and arts. What if we held equal value to all these subjects and helped our students make connections between the two? A child might better understand the emotion behind a work of literature from an English text book if they can relate it to a musical piece of literature they express through an instrument. If they understand what it's like to create a piece of art using their voice or a paint brush, wouldn't that help them understand the creativity of the pen? If they understand the complexity of how every single movement of a dance combines to make a whole, could that help them understand the different pieces of a math problem or chemistry equation? We force what the school systems value on our students, while stifling their own set of values and beliefs.

Both my parents have taught in the public school systems for over 30 years. Both of them taught music, and the arts are not among the most highly valued subjects in the southern parts of the United States. Both of them have told stories of times when their classes and resources have been cut, or when they have faced threats to the programs they poured their lives into developing so their students could grow in a whole new dimension. The focus of schools systems is centered around the school system itself. They have set programs in place, and developed organizations that focus on making their schools look better, rather than focusing on the students that compose the schools. If we concentrate our attention on the kids sitting in the classrooms and turn our backs to the goals of accomplishing a certain standardized test score that will boost the schools rating, each child would have a chance to grow through many different mediums. Their development would expand throughout many viewpoints rater than the one that tells them they are stupid if they cannot complete a certain math problem. I imagine that if we re-evaluate our outlooks on education, the change in the students lives would be something to see...

food for thought,

~ Miles Bubbett

Mr. Winkle Wakes

     Mr. Winkle Wakes is a cool little video that I think should keep us in check while we are teaching. As much as all this technology molds the world into a whole new era, there are some things that simply cannot be replaced by a computer. While in school, the value of actually being in the classroom and developing relationships face to face can be crucial to a child's education, especially at a young age. We should merge older traditional types of teaching with the advancements of technology to get the best of both worlds.
    With this combination we can use the teaching systems that make Mr. Winkles relax and teach him all the ways the world has changed and developed. That way he might be completely lost at the beginning, but by the end there will be lots of progress made. Hopefully like EDM310. We'll all be completely lost in the beginning, but at the end we will have come a long ways.
~ Miles

Did You Know? 3.0

     For teachers, both already in the field and just now starting, I believe this video should be called "Here's What You Need To Know." Personally I had no idea about some of the statistics that were presented in the video. We are stepping into a world that we presume to be something extremely concrete, but it takes on a more fluid form the way it shifts and changes constantly. As teachers we will have to understand that concept in our classrooms. Not only for our sake of keeping with the latest and greatest technology, but for our students sake. Everyone knows what it's like having a teacher who has no clue how to operate simple tasks on the computer. It's frustrating sitting in your desk for ten minutes while they try to figure out how to open a power point (Especially when you're in college and all you can think about is how much you are paying for it!

     In order to keep our schools and classrooms up to date we need to understand the newest technologies, the most recent inventions, and the latest news about the rest of the world. The bubble we like to live in needs to be broken. This video was hardly 5 minutes long and it turned some of the things I had thought completely inside out... what would a 30 minute video do?

     I know this was a class assignment, but if there are any visitors to my blog go and check it out.               Did You Know? 3.0

~ Miles Bubbett

Wordle!