Blog Post #5

This blog is all about Personal Learning Networks or PLNs. These are networks of people and tools that you can go to when you need to consult someone on anything, especially in the field of teaching. These people and tools can be other teachers (locally and internationally) and websites that can range from a variety of subjects and information. Having these networks are great for the teacher. You can use Twitter, Facebook, Blogger and other social networking sites to collaborate with other teachers and people who have or are studying in certain fields that could be taught in the classroom. It's a great way to gather information, news, projects and even new ways to teach things from others who have experienced what you are about to go through.

I actually started my PLN today. Of course I started it on Twitter, since to me that seems the easiest to begin with. I added my ARTS in Elementary teacher, Dr. Paige Vitulli. She has made her Twitter a PLN and expresses the benefits of this in her class consistently. I also did a search for elementary education and found several resources for my future classroom and ideas. Although after this I found myself stuck. I honestly didn't know what else to look for and who else to look for. Even though one of the sites we were given to look into was a previous project by Dr. Strange on this very subject. He gave us different teachers Twitter names to look into and start following if we saw fit, but after looking into quite a few I decided I didn't want to follow any of them. I guess I prefer to search for my own connections and colleagues to be in my PLN.

I even signed up for the site Symbaloo. Its a website that basically puts all your other websites onto one page. It compiles all the sites you want to use and it places them all in front of you for easy access. I am still new at using it, but I like it so far. Instead of overloading my favorites with websites (which shows at the bottom of my Google status bar), I can add just the one website and have all my sites at my fingertips. It's very convenient.

Project #4 C4T #1

This project is one I love. We are assigned a teacher who blogs and we comment on them. The teacher I was assigned is Mrs. Sara Allen, a 5th grade math teacher. I was supposed to have commented on her blog twice now, but I have had some complications with my pregnancy and was very sick, so I missed my first comment. I am sad that I did, because after reading her posts I find her very insightful and passionate about teaching. You can view her blog at this link.

Sara's post that I did comment on is pending approval at this moment, but it was about determination and not expecting each new class to learn the same as the others. She described this technique called Math Workshop that she uses to help students learn independently and together as groups. She said her first class using this took some time to tweek the process and a lot of feedback from the students, but the results were phenomenal. However, her class the next year seemed to be more frustrated with the way workshop was going that Sara admits the first half of the year was not spent focused on math. Her revelation is that no two classes will ever learn the same and she tweeked her process again and saw results in the end.

When I commented on her post, I commended her for her reflections on her year. I also let her know that I have been told before about the classes, but to hear it from someone who was going through it now (or 2013 when the post was made) makes it feel like a confirmation. She helped me learn to reflect on my teaching methods to construct them to each class and their way of learning. It is a learning process, even for the teacher. I wish her luck in her future teaching endeavours.

Search Engines - Project # 15

Our project this week is searching search engines. Sounds crazy, but it was actually enlightening. I didn't know there were so many types of search engines out there and most I actually knew, but didn't think of them as search engines. We were not allowed to use Google as one of our 8 findings, but a confession... I used Google to find them! Amazingly, there are tons of lists and "2014's Top Search Engines" or "Search Engines for Beginners" out there. So here is my list and reviews on each of the 8 I found.

#1. Free Book Search: This search engine was created for bookworms like myself. It is run off of Google Custom searches, but scours the internet for books, audio books, free PDF downloads of books and more. I played around with it and the book search was great. It had a lot of results and pulled from lots of sites for downloads and purchases in just seconds. For some reason I wasn't able to figure out the audiobook search, but don't let that stop you from using the book search!

#2. Zillow: I have used this site before looking for real estate and housing, but never thought of it as a search engine. It is easy to use and can find property all over the U.S. Whether you're looking to rent, own, or window shop, it is a great and reliable search engine for housing and property. It even has a button to start pre-approval on a mortgage!

#3. Pic Search: A great search engine for images. It searches over 3,000,000,000 pictures and gives you a similar layout to Google Images. When you are first on the screen to search, you will notice images in the background. They are the top searches over a certain period of time, as far as I can tell. You can scroll over these images and click on them for more related images. Once you've found the image you like and click on it, you are taken to the website with the image, but at the top of the page you can select to see the image by itself. Very similar to Google Images, but easier to use.

#4. Dogpile: Is similar to Google, but instead it literally "dogpiles" (hence the name) all the related searches from other major search engines. It has a cleaner page set up than Google and I find it user friendly. On the homepage you can also search for images, shopping, video, news, local listings and white pages. They also have an app for your phone.

#5. WebMD: Everyone knows this one, I'm sure! It is a source for all things medical from questions about symptoms to the latest news. You can find just about anything you need on this one search engine. You can check your BMI, you can plan your food and fitness, you an even find healthy recipes. It even has a symptom checker tool. But beware, self diagnosing can be hazardous to your health!!

#6. Map Quest: The GPS before there we could afford GPS. (And before it came equipped on our phones!) Who hasn't used this search engine before?! I mean really, my In-laws still use it to this day. But, they have added a few new features. You can now look up hotels, charging stations, restaurants, travel services, shopping, activities, and other local services. I find that even my Google maps on my phone gives me fits trying to find all those things and don't get me started on Siri! This search engine I think is still very useful, but has been pushed into second place by our smart phones. (when they work)

#7. Webopedia: This search engine is there for the people like me who get into a computer class and have no clue what some of the lingo is! You can search for terms and knowledge on computer technology with easy to understand answers. It also gives you the latest news on a variety of technology. Its a great search engine for students and beginners.

#8. Wolfram Alpha: Another great search engine for students. It is a computational knowledge engine that you can enter a math problem or subject and get an easy to understand report. For instance, I searched William Shakespeare and it gave me a long list of information and facts on him. Did you know he was 6'4"? I didn't! This is a search engine everyone should try when stuck on a math problem or doing research for any subject!

Blog Post #4

For this blog post, Dr. Strange posed the question, "What do we need to know about asking questions to be an effective teacher?". Amazingly, I have never thought about how to ask questions in a classroom from a teachers prospective. This may be due to the fact that I am just starting on my journey and am not a teacher yet, but it is time to start thinking about this and other things. I always assumed (from a students point of view) that teachers "flew by the seat of their pants" when it came to questions. It seemed they just asked whatever question popped into their heads at the moment. Sometimes they made me think and other times I just stared blankly wondering if I should have known the answer.

After reading the material that Dr. Strange gave us to research, I find myself rethinking my original assumption. And yet, I still find that many of my previous teachers just pulled out the random question generator. Although after reading the article Three Ways to Ask Better Questions in the Classroom by Maryellen Weimer, PhD., I like her idea of actually recording your questions in your lesson creation or at least writing them down. She also describes techniques such as asking the question at the beginning of the lesson and leaving it unanswered till later on or at the end, when students have had time to think about it and learn a little more information. I can remember a few previous teachers who would give us a question sheet at the beginning of a video or powerpoint and we had to answer the questions throughout the process. I thought at the time it was a cheap way of making sure we paid attention, but now I see that it was a way of keeping me engaged and actually picking up a few tidbits (because we all know we like to zone out on certain teaching techniques as students).

I also found the video Open Ended Questions by Andi Stix interesting. She talks about the way teachers ask questions and what type of questions we ask. Particularly open ended and closed ended questions. I for one know, from my daughter who is in 2nd grade, that we learn about these types of questions in or around the 2nd grade. Andi is right when she says the way we phrase a question can affect the type of responses we get. She has a website/blog that she gives a strategy on how to rephrase questions for students to get them thinking. Reading Open-Ended Questions that she posted on April 29, 2012, you're given a step by step process.
She encourages using the question starters:
For what reasons…
In what ways…
Describe in detail…
Explain specifically…
Generate a list…
Brainstorm as many reasons for…

I personally know I will be using these in my classroom when I finally do become a teacher! I want to be the teacher that not only makes learning fun, but I want to encourage my students to think for themselves in and out of the classroom. If this is the first step in that process, I am going to make sure it is done right.

Blog Post #2

So for the first question of this blog, we were supposed to watch the short video Mr. Dancealot. This video is about a dance teacher who attempts to teach a class by using only powerpoint and no involvement. When they get to the final exam, he expects them to dance. The poor students are so lost that they are just standing there reading notes. It is impossible to teach a hands on course without the students actually participating. The message behind this video is make sure your teaching objective and how you teach it is what's best for the students. You can't just "teach them so they don't have to learn" as Dr. Strange says. I completely agree with this message, because if the students do not participate then how do you expect them to learn!?

Our next assigned video comes from Mr. Kevin Robert's Teaching in the 21st Century. It is a video about how different the world is now with all the technology and informational resources our children have these days. Between Google, Twitter, Facebook, Wikipedia, and other sources, what is the job of a teacher these days? The argument Roberts makes is that it is the teacher's job to help the students learn to use these sites correctly and how to sounds halfway intelligent when they publish, post or comment. We are now the filter to the knowledge that students can obtain from the world wide web. He also states that these tools are not only used for entertainment, but they should be used for engaging the students in learning and getting them excited about learning. I agree with Roberts 100%, because the world we were brought up in has changed drastically. Students are using technology in every classroom, we have to help the students be safe online and to use it properly.

The third video is The Networked Student, a video whose name sums up the idea of the video. It sets a great example of how the internet can be used to help a student learn about their chosen profession or really any topic they choose. It is also a great way to get connected with potential colleagues, authors of papers/books and professors. During the video it asks the question, "So, why does the networked student even need a teacher?". They need us to show them how to set up this network, the correct way to connect with professionals and how to maintain the network to grow with them as they progress in their student and professional career. I think this video is a great watch for every potential teacher. It is a great insight into our roles as teachers in the 21st century.

In the video, Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts, Vicki Davis teachers her students to use the web to explore the world and open their minds to new experiences. She is also letting them teach the class, which gives them a change of pace and students will be proud of their accomplishments when they can look back on their work or day and say "I did that!". I love her ideas and the way she was involving the students completely in all her objectives and teachings.

Our fifth video we were assigned comes from our professor, Dr. Strange, and his visit to Gulf Shores Elementary School in Alabama. It's called, Who Is Ahead In The Learning Race?. It is absolutely amazing to see what these kindergarteners, first graders, second graders and third graders are accomplishing on their IPads and Mac Books. They are learning (and learning well), things that we as undergraduate students aren't even attempting yet. So to answer his questions, they are ahead by a landslide! These children are going to be fluent in the technology game by the time they reach 18 years of age. Which is a feat they should be proud of and will no doubt get them far in life considering how much technology has weaseled its way into every field. I am truly amazed at their accomplishments and commend them.

Last, but not least, is a new technique called "Flipping The Classroom". This technique is about the teacher recording a video lesson that the student watches the night before as homework and discusses the next morning in class. This is completely new to me and honestly I disagree with it. It has its advantages, but it also has its downsides. Advantages would be the students teaching themselves and hopefully retaining the lesson, and maybe even the time abundance in class the next day. But on the other hand, when the student has to teach themselves without proper instruction at that age, how can you be sure they are learning the proper technique and what about the children who get frustrated during their practice problems and give up. You aren't there to help them and build their confidence on that subject. Maybe they video lessons aren't that bad, but maybe it can be a precursor to the actual lesson so they can have some background knowledge before the lesson. But personally I will not be using this technique in my classroom unless the school I work for absolutely requires it.

Blog Post 1

So far, EDM 310 is unlike any other class I have taken, high school or college level. It has already required me to step outside of my little box I have been in and try something different. I have never been required to keep a blog, neither have I ever had an interest to. (It's harder than I expected!) I've never really had a class that requires so much hands on and time, either. Whether it is in the classroom or sitting here at the computer. I'm not complaining by no means, I love learning about computers and technology. I also love trying new things, hence my excitement for this course. It is not one that you sit at a desk and listen to a teacher drone on and on and on (and on...) for hours about a particular subject then hope you were paying attention enough to remember the lecture and complete the homework. Luckily it is a hands on class (which I learn the best at anyways) and I am doing it all myself, so I will remember it later. I honestly couldn't stand my earlier computer courses, the ones that "introduce" you to the Microsoft applications. It was such a tedious course! So as I mentioned before, I am excited about being in this class!

Although I haven't heard many rumors about EDM 310 and Dr. Strange, I have been told it is a bit more difficult than any other teaching course I will have to go through. I've heard it takes a fair amount of time and concentration to complete this course with a good grade. I personally have always been a bit of a procrastinator (I say this as I am sitting here 6 hours before the due date of this assignment), but I am working on it! I plan on getting a little bit of my assignments done daily and maybe even more. I tend to get wrapped up in anything to do with the computer and writing. I love to write. My biggest fear about this course is that I will procrastinate enough that I am always rushed in my projects. (As in years before) Hopefully I will practice what I preach and just do it! So far Dr. Strange has explained himself, our objectives and what he expects from us as students fairly clearly, so thankfully I am not left with a ton of questions as in courses before. So I am crossing my fingers and toes that I keep up and pass this course with a good grade. Not to mention, I am looking forward to learning as much as I can since technology is booming in the teaching field!

Practice Post

Outline

A. All about me
B. All about my life
C. Why I want to be a teacher
D. What I see as the teachers role in the 21st century
E. My passions
F. Interesting facts about me.


Hi!! My name is Sabrina, I just turned 28 on August 8th. I grew up in Mobile,AL and lived here till I was 17 and joined the Air Force. I traveled to Texas, California, Colorado and Mississippi. I was never deployed, although I applied several times, but it was for the best. I was a Aeromedical Technician, meaning I was the medic who worked on the planes. Because of this, I worked in the medical field for over 10 years. I have a 7 year old little girl named Keely, who is my world and is my mini me with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Last year I got married to my first high school crush, took 10 years for us to reconnect from high school. He is a foreman for Koch Specialty Plant Services and works out of town approximately 7-9 months a year. We are expecting our first child together in February 2015. He is the main reason I am attending South now. I was attending Faulkner State Community College for several years pursuing my RN, but last year I confessed to my husband that I always secretly wanted to be an Elementary teacher. So we decided I would quit my job and go to school full time. I started last August and finished my prerequisites at Faulkner and this is my first semester at South. I am really excited about the prospect of being in the classroom. I love children and have a passion for them some would say.

I love teaching children and seeing their faces light up when they learn something new. I took a break from the medical field for about 2 years and taught preschool during that break. It was the best two years of my life. I loved getting to know each individual child and learning from them how to teach them best. They are all different and therefore learn differently. Some where more hands on where others could just listen. I think the most important job in the world is being an Elementary Teacher, because they are the ones who install the love learning in a child at an early age. A good teacher can make an enormous impact on a little ones mind.

Having that impact on little ones mind is a huge responsibility and it changes over time to keep up with the change in the world. The 21st century is one of the most diverse centuries yet. Now the children need to learn how to use computers confidently and competently just to make it in life. Even for the nursing fields! So it is the teachers responsibility to learn electronics and expand those children's mind to the world of computers and media. And while expanding those minds, they have to teach all the traditional subjects too. It makes it easier if the teacher loves learning, this shows the children how fun it can be, especially since they have a long learning career ahead of them.

I have a few passions, teaching being one of them. But I am also an avid reader (when I am not in school, otherwise I feel really guilty) and I use to go snowboarding every weekend when I was stationed in California. I also LOVE to sing, but haven't done it in front of people in a very long time. My absolute passion though, that tops it all is my family (My husband and Keely). I love being a mother and a wife more than anything in this world. There is nothing that can bring a smile to my face and warm my heart faster than hearing them tell me they love me. And there is no greater feeling than seeing my little girls smiling face after school, running up to give me a big hug and being excited to see me. It can turn even the worst days into the best!

I guess I could finish up with a few interesting facts about me. Well, you already know about the singing and snowboarding, but I have also jumped out of a plane during the Air Force training. I will never do that again though! I have never been to Disney World (weird I know), but I am planning on going because I LOVE anything Disney! I read a lot, but only the weird stuff as my husband says. I read all the Twilight books, all the Mortal Instruments(the City of Bones movie was the first book), things of that nature. I am in love with all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Jack Sparrow is hilarious!! My husband says I am such a nerd, but I hide it well until I am around people I'm comfortable with. A nerd in disguise I guess! And that's all me...