Blog Post #13

E-Media Fast

While attempting to do this assignment by completing a 24 hour E-media fast here are some obstacles that I incurred: The first attempt was interrupted by the A/C service person trying to
get directions to my home, of course, I had to answer my cell phone because it is getting really hot. The second attempt was interrupted by my oldest daughter that lives in another state. I usually text her back the same day and so I did! The third and final attempt was interrupted by my youngest daughter that is enrolling in college in Texas this week and she called me about completing her fafsa. Although she lives by herself in Texas, my income will be used to determine eligibility for a grant because she is only 20 years of age.

Since I failed at this assignment and I am not a big media consumer, I know it will be hard for my future students to fast from media all day in the classroom. By attempting to do this assignment, I been enlightened to the fact that we are not living in Medieval times, so we must awaken and get busy spreading the technology of the age we are presently living. I was told in 2008 when I first turned on a computer that if I chose not to learn how to use it, that I should go home and close my door and never open it again. I understand what this statement means now that I have been educated by doing these blog post assignments.

Final Report on my PLN

Symbaloo is my choice for my PLN Personal Learning Network. I have only added a few websites for my home page. By having a PLN I save a lot of time and most of all it helps me stay organized. I included Twitter because I found that I can acquire information on just about any subject I need to know. Also I am following the list of people from project #10 that was suggested for following. I have included youtube which we have used a lot in this class. Of course, I can't forget Facebook. I have included sites for shopping and banking too. Most of the others are news and music. I have signed up for edupln.ning.com a global website used by educators around the world. Also I just signed up for diigo because I think it is going to be a useful site for posting and learning and I will not need all these bookmarks.

Project #15

Progress Post for Project #16

Our group "Cheers" chose to make a video for our project. We have created an outline with the web sites we will use for this video. While we were collaborating online for Project #15 we were planning for project #16, however, we still have a lot of work to do on this project. Because we started planning early we will have our project completed on time.

Creativity and Curiosity: My thoughts Special Post 12-A

For this assignment I read the article by Elli on curiosity fuels creativity teaching your kids to be curious and left her a comment on her article. I have to agree that being curious fuels creativity. I am always asking questions. I find that when people ask questions they are engaged in the conversation. As for the question of how to spark curiosity in children, I believe the more relaxed the children are the less fearful they will become and the thought of being wrong will not stifle their creativity.

My thoughts: When students are bored with learning facts they will not be engaged in how to remember all these facts, but when they have completed a group activity, for example, learning spelling words they will recall more of the words. The group may choose how to learn the words with either a crossword puzzle or using them in a sentence with a picture. Since all children learn differently, using different strategies will be necessary.

Also, I agree with Sir Robinson that while schools are focusing on drilling math and science into the students, they are not educating the students to think for  themselves. I feel strongly that all students should be allowed to participate in art, music, and dance. These are only some of the ways to become more creative. My oldest daughter told me that the school of performing arts in Mobile was her favorite school. I think that children learn by example, and that we have to model ways of being creative by using our teaching skills. The learning environment is the most important focus in the classroom.

From the American Psychological Association I found an article on motivating students to learn. This article tell us that "Research has shown that motivation is related to whether or not students have opportunities to be autonomous and to make important academic choices." So, by having choices, the students feel in control over their learning, thus further engaged in learning. "Teachers have observed that after the second or third grades, many students begin to show signs of losing their motivation to learn." So, what happens to their eagerness to learn? They are not given appropriate choices, therefore, they are not challenged to become independent thinkers and their creativity is shut down.

Project 12

For project 12 you will need to go to Web 2012 Discovery education and click on related links at the bottom. Each week 2.0 tools are published. I chose to make a comic using the make beliefs comix. You can make your own comic about whatever you like. You will need to write a two paragraphs about your post following the guidelines for writing a quality blog post.


I used a program from 2.0 web tools makebeliefscomix.com for my assignment and this is the comic I created for the project.

I feel that when students are given the opportunity to create their own projects they will do a better job. Students that are visual learners will benefit tremendously from creating a comic. One of the main problems with students getting started with a topic for a writing assignment is choosing a subject. First, by creating a comic the students may narrow the subject. This will make it easier for them to get started.

I chose the good fairy, which is one of my childhood favorites. The fairy is turning the book into a computer. I felt this was appropriate for this class assignment. Since technology is what we have been exposed to in this class, and learning how to use it as a future educator will determine what type of teacher we will be I wanted to write my essay on creating a magical classroom. A classroom that I dreamed of teaching where the students were excited to read a story. The best part about being a student in the 21st century is learning to blog about what you have learned and share it with the world. I may just become a blogger after all and to be able to share how to blog will be like creating magic in the classroom.

C4T#4

Summary


I posted a comment for Bill Ferriter who teaches 6th grade language arts in north Carolina. See his blog at The tempered Radical His April 11,2012 post titled Calling Out #atpic Nation included his view on how professional learning communities are reaching their potential for changes in teaching and learning environment in schools. In his opinion, from my observation, the PLCs are only giving lip service. His point is that there is a simple explanation for the difference between what our PLCs are versus what our PLCs should be. He is convinced that we are sold out to standardized test. He asked the question "Are you so concerned with your own position and/or reputation that you've stopped advocating for what is right for our students?

Yes, we have image problems that effect how we will change the environment of teaching. Because I believe that most people will just go with the flow rather than change the system because change can be scary. As a future educator I want to engage the students in a learning environment that sparks their interests and motivates them so that they don't want to miss a day of school.

My Comment

Hi Mr. Ferriter,
I am a student at the University of South Alabama in Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class. I agree 100% that teaching is more than burping back facts! As a future educator I feel passionate about doing what is right for the students by teaching them to be resourceful, creative, and to communicate effectively. They need to feel confident they can solve problems in our world. We do need to make time for the skills that matter the most.
Thanks for your post,
Cyndi Ford

Summary

I posted a comment for the second week on The tempered Radical The title of his April 28 post is Why I NEVER recommend Teaching as a Profession. First, he wasn't talking about his students being the reason for not wanting to teach, but with the political system being the reason. His post was in response to Phil Berger wanting to create a merit system and do away with teacher tenure. Find the article Senate leader Berger proposes changes to teacher employment rules This is a quote by Berger "Until we get the policy right, I don't think the taxpayers of this state are prepared or should be asked to put more money into the public schools then we are presently." Of course, Bill Ferriter says " He's not even CLOSE to getting the policy right." So, this is the interesting part for me because as stated in his post research has shown that what Phil Berger is proposing will lead to worse results. You will need to watch in this RSA Animate talk This is a very enlightening post by Mr. Ferriter.

My Comment

Hi Mr. Ferriter,
I am a student at the University of South Alabama in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class. Your post is an eye opener on some issues I will face as a future educator. I know I will face many challenges as an educator and I appreciate your passion for teaching and sharing the frustrations that go along with the job.

Blog Post #11

After watching First Graders in Ms. Cassidy's Class I couldn't believe these kids were blogging. They were having so much fun while learning to write. Also, they used wikis in their classroom to learn about rituals around the world. These kids are learning to collaborate while making their own videos, for example, they made one about counting. Can you believe they got to play on Nintendo DS too. They were playing Nintendog! Believe it or not they were actually learning how to get along by sharing and discussing how to take care of their dog.

Ms. Cassidy's class motivates me to learn as much technology as possible to share with my future students. By using wikis they will be educated on how to look up information in their future. I will definitely use a webpage for the students with the different subjects we are studying. I like the idea of teaching the students to blog at an early age, namely, this will boost their confidence in writing because of the comments they receive. I think that using Skype would be an excellent way for the students to visit other classrooms and acquire knowledge from other students. I think that I may encounter some problems with the Nintendo because of the problem of everyone wanting to play on it first. After all these kids are still learning to share.

After viewing the Ms. Cassidy"s Skype conversation I learned that she has the students blog about once a week. She talked about how she keeps the students safe, namely, they only use their first name and they don't put their picture on their post. She is teaching them some of the benefits of blogging, such as, learning to be nice when you leave a comment and not to say mean things. Also, she is teaching them the importance of where to go on her web page, for example, stay in the middle of the page and not on the sides. This is a great start for these first graders.

C4K April

#1

My assigned student posted a question on her blog:

Do you like to play or do any sports like Basketball, Volleyball, Track and Field, Swimming, Soccer, Tennis, or any other sport or sports you like to play or do?

This is my first comment for Kate

Hi Kate,

I am a student at the University of South Alabama. I enjoy swimming and I am in an Aquatics class this semester. I have learned front crawl, elementary back stroke and breast stroke. Also, I enjoy playing volleyball at the beach with my friends. Sports have always been an enjoyment for me. Sports are a great way to stay fit!

Are you going to pursue a career in volleyball?

Best wishes,
Cyndi Ford

#2

My assigned student posted some jokes on their blog:



Why was the gopher wearing its golf socks, because it had a hole in one!

What goes up and never goes down? Your age!

What do you call a cow with no legs? Ground beef!

What type of snake do babies like to play with? A rattlesnake!

What goes tick-tock and woof-woof? A watchdog!

What type of bean can’t grow? A jelly bean!

This is my comment for Kate:

Hi Kate,

It is me again the student from the University of South Alabama. Your jokes are really funny and I like your sense of humor. Thanks for a good laugh!

Cyndi Ford

#3

My assigned student posted some more jokes on their blog:

What do you get if you mix a rabbit with a snake? A jump rope!

What do you call a polar bear in a desert? Lost!

What do you call a cute volcano? Lava-ble!

Why didn’t the clam share its pearls? Because it was shellfish!

Why are wizards good at fishing? Because they really know how to cast a spell!



This is my comment for Kate:

Hi Kate,

I am a student at the University of South Alabama. A bit of humor is a nice break from studying for me. Thanks for your post. I wanted to share a web site with some Educational Jokes

I hope you will enjoy them.

Cyndi Ford

CK4#10

Mubashshir had posted an animation with his voice using Kidpix.


I left a comment for Mubashshir at click to view

This is my comment:
Hi Mubashshir,
I am a student at the University of Alabama in
EDM310 class, thus, this is how I found your animation. I enjoyed listening to you tell how you like to read, swim, and listen to music. These are also my favorites. I am taking a swim class at the University this semester. I like to read for information and for enjoyment too. Listening to music can be a good way to relax.

You are doing a great job!

C4T#3

Comment #1 March 1 Blog Post Comment

I posted this comment for Mr. Bernia on the Prezi he posted on leadership on March 1.

Your Prezi was very informative on leadership. I gained knowledge as well as motivation that I will take with me as a future educator. Thank you for your presentation.

Summary

I want to comment further by saying that I found the information can be useful for the students and anyone in leadership because if we are leaders we are role models whether we are at school or at the grocery store. Also he said leadership is about action not title. Lastly he said "if you want to lead people, give them freedom, purpose, and the chance to be an expert."

Comment #2 March 22 Blog Post Comment


Thank you, Mr. Bernia,

I am a student at the University of South Alabama. I am new to twitter and I have learned that I will be a better teacher by collaborating using twitter today. Thanks for all the informative links.

Cyndi Ford

Summary

I posted a comment for Mr. Bernia on his March 22 Post. He shared a link for those of us who are new to twitter10 steps for educators new to twitter that I found to be motivating to use twitter more often.

Blog Post #10

After reviewing the video on To Teach or to Educate these are some of my
thoughts about educating my future students. I intend to educate rather than just
teach by using a variety of instructional strategies. First, I would like to be
remembered for the story telling teacher. By encouraging the students in discussion
to solve problems would be one strategy. Second, to lead by example by having the
students speak, for example, show and tell would be another strategy. Last, by
using role play the students can learn by having a script and playing the part.

I can remember the stories and discussions from elementary school long years ago.
Some of the stories were about everyday life lessons that I have applied to my life.
By adding discussion the students will learn to solve problems and appreciate the
education they receive. I want to make the students feel comfortable by using show
and tell in the classroom. By teaching the students to speak at an early age they
will be better prepared for their future education. By using role play with a script
the students can learn a variety of subjects while having fun doing it.

Don't let them take home the pencils

Wow, this post uses pencils to describe the use of computers and it makes a really good point about education through the use of computers and how they might learn a few things by using them at home. I really like his idea of getting the parents involved and it is a very creative way of getting the message home.

Tom Johnson's post was largely influenced by Larry Feriazzo's July 1 post "take" on recent study saying home computer usage can lead to lower test scores and by computing with his friend Javi's experience with a Parent University. His post begins with an argument between the academic instructional specialist and himself about students living in low income families taking home computers and how it could lower their test scores. Gertrude the instructional specialist for the school views the use of computers at home as a distraction for the students, therefore, lowering test scores. Johnson points out that he met with Mr. Brown to develop program where parents learn certain skills to teach the students.

After reviewing Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take The pencil's Home!. The Question
is how do we measure authentic learning? There are many ways of learning. While students
may become bored with rote learning, games such as hang man can be an alternative to learning new words.

Being a teacher that is not afraid to incorporate a plan to bring the parents in to teach them skills to facilitate learning technology is a passionate teacher, if you ask me. So, why is it in the end the teacher has the finger pointed at him for the problem of lower test scores?

C4K #1 March

The student that I was assigned to had shared their experience at the art exhibition they visited with their family.

I commented on 4th grade New Castle UK blogpost and left this comment:

Hi, I am a student at the University of South Alabama. Thank you for sharing your experience at the art show. I enjoyed reading your post.
Thanks, Cyndi Ford

Blogpost #9

After reading Mr. Joe McClung's blog on What I learned this year (2008-2009) I feel I will be better prepared to teach my first year. In his first year of teaching he taught 6th grade Science. These are some things he learned, namely, he said "he learned a "TON" during his first year of teaching." I like this word because I think it is very fitting to the situation. Of course, I feel that I have learned a "TON" in this EDM 310 class. I know that I will be concerned as he was about the delivery of the content, but we need to be sure as he said "that we don't miss the most important part of teaching, and that is checking for student comprehension." Being flexible is good advice because I know that lesson plans will not always be perfect. More than trying to have that perfect lesson plan, when things go wrong try to better the situation with a "smile on your face."

I love the remark he made about technology that is very motivating for me because I get overwhelmed sometimes. He said "we cannot expect to master computer skills the first time we attempt them, so jump in head first ..... the water feels fine:)"

Another important detail is listening to your students because we may be the only person who does. Also, I agree that we should never stop learning he said "because we owe it to our students." Sometimes I don't want to take the time to learn new things because it is time consuming, but in the end I am not doing this for me, but for others, so they can experience learning too.

In his second year of teaching at What I learned this year (2009-2010) these are some points he addressed:

As a teacher we should not just lecture, but try to make the students to become independent thinkers.

Find that school Mom to help out. These are Mom's that have been there for several years and know how things work and will help at at a moments notice.

Check your ego at the door. We should do whatever it takes to get them to be excited about their education. We might have to play silly games to get them to respond. He said "we shouldn't be afraid to show we are passionate about teaching."

Don't be a control freak. Some people can go overboard with being in control. We should manage our classroom, but not to the point of doing everything for the students.

Scope and Sequence: Having a plan and staying on task to teach subjects for their grade level is very important. As teachers we will be more interested in one subject over another. We need to keep our perspective and spend adequate teaching and assessment time.

Don't lose sight of what is important: As teachers we cannot let adversity hinder our teaching in our classroom. The students are depending on you to teach and we have to be there to teach them no matter how bad it gets. His last bit of advice is to listen to those that have more experience than we do.