Blog Post #15 Final Reflection

Final Project #16

My Passion Video

My Sentence Video

C4K#3

For the month of April I was assigned to comment on kids' blogs from across the world. The first week I was assigned to comment on Lorenzo's blog from Pt England School in Auckland, New Zealand. He is in Mr. Somerville class. Lorenzo has been blogging since year four, but is now in year six. For his blog post, his reading group was assigned to read a book about kokutu and do an activity on it. The group said the kokutu was a generous and smart bird and is interesting to look at. I commented on how interesting the bird was to look at and I loved reading his post.

The next week I was assigned to comment on Manuwal's blog who was also from Pt England School in Auckland, New Zealand. She was in Miss Nalder year four class. The blog post was a term 1 2012 Chromebook reflection. She answered the following questions:

1.) What did I enjoy? I like doing math on my Chromebook.
2.) Things I didn't enjoy? I do not like coloring in on my Chromebook.
3.) What did I learn? I learned how to do reading on my Chromebook.
4.) What did I find most interesting? Reading.
5.) How I feel about my term overall? I first felt happy when I got my Chromebook.
6.) What could I have done better to help my learning? I will be proud and ask a teacher.
I commented on how I enjoyed reading the reflection and how she did a great job on using complete sentences.

Blog Post #13

What did you do over the summer? Did you travel anywhere? Did you go to the beach?

Write a minimum of three paragraphs explaining what all you did over the summer break. Use as many details as possible when describing the events that took place. I will be checking for grammar and spelling. Make sure to describe where you went and who all went with you. Try to even describe the relationships between you and everyone who went.

Blog Post #12

For this blog post assignment I researched assistive technologies for hearing impaired students. I found that there are actually quite a few assistive technologies for students that have trouble hearing. One thing I found that I would actually use in my future classroom is called audio loops. Audio loops are adaptations of Frequency-Modulated (FM) Amplification Systems. The loops amplify the sound directly through wire connection radio waves to the hearing aid. This decreases any background noise the student may be hearing. It also enables the teacher to be able to move through out the classroom and the student is still able to hear them speaking. I think this would be very useful in a classroom and I would definitely use it.

Project #12 Part B

C4T#3

I was assigned to comment on Bill Genereux's blog titled "Tech Intersect." He is an associate professor of computer systems technology at Kansas State University at Salina. One of Genereux's blog posts was titled "Pineapples don't have sleeves." This post was about his daughter being confused about a question in her reading assignment. The question had an excerpt from the children's tale Pinocchio and then asked what the sentence showed. The question could be very confusing if you read different interpretations of the tale. I commented saying that especially on standardized tests, there should be absolutely no confusion for these kids. It can be stressful for the child and should not be that way.

Another one of Bill Genereux's post was titled "25 Thing Every Young Professional Should Know by Age 25." This was a list written by Danny Rubin. Genereux's talks about number 20 was his favorite on the list. "The days of a college syllabus are long gone. If you're waiting for someone to give you direction, have a seat. You'll be there a while." He says it is frustrating that his students was him to explain every little detail that he wants from them when he is just trying to get them a little room to figure it out on their own. I commented saying I did agree with # 20 from the list, but my favorite was #21. "Everyone likes to receive praise, but the smartest young adults actively seek constructive criticism." I do like receiving constructive criticism and I try to apply it when I get it.

C4K#2

During the month of March I was assigned to comment on multiple kids' blogs. The first week of March was spring break so I was not assigned anything that week. The following week we had a bonus week for C4K and also was not assigned anything for that week.

The next week I was assigned to comment on Alamoni's blog post. Alamoni was in Mrs. She's second grade class at Pt England School in Auckland, New Zealand. His blog post was a story about his toy, Harold the giraffe. There was a video of Alamoni describing what the toy looked like. There was also a picture of the toy and a drawing Alamoni had drew of Harold the giraffe. I commented that he did a great job on the video and on his drawing. I also included that giraffes are actually my favorite animal.

The last week I was assigned to comment on Daniella's blog post. Daniella was in Miss Lavakula's fifth grade class at Pt England School in Auckland, New Zealand. Daniella was nine years old. In her blog post, she wrote about her class walking to the Glen Innes Aquatic center pool. She told about how she got in the water and the instuctor gave her a board. She learned how to float on her back and other swimming techniques. I told her about when I was her age I also took swimming lessons and loved it. It was really fun and they taught me some of the same things.

Blog Post #11

For this post, our group decided to have a conversation about one of the videos suggested by Dr. Strange by using a shared Google Drive Document. You can see what we all had to say by clicking on the link below.

OMAHA

Project #12 Part A

Blog Post #9

What can we learn from Mrs. Cassidy?

The first video we were to watch, Little Kids... Big Potential, was a look into Mrs. Cassidy's first grade class. This video showed how her students incorporate technology in their learning. The kids learned to use blogs, wiki, Nintendo DS, and videos. The students liked to blog because it helped their writing skills and other people could read what they wrote and respond.

Mrs. Cassidy began using technology in her classroom because she was trying to find a way to incorporate computers. After watching the interviews between Mrs. Cassidy and Dr. Strange, if I was going to use one of her techniques in my future classroom I think I would use blogging. The children really seemed to like being able to write blogs and they really liked people responding to what they write. I think the children writing for an audience is very important. Writing blogs also helped the students gain writing skills and they also learned the proper way to respond to someone else's blog. Overall, blogging seemed to be very beneficial for the students and I would love to use it with my own students one day.

Project #9

C4T#2

I was assigned to post comments on Jeff Delp's blog title "Molehills Out of Mountains." He is the principal of Willis Junior High School in Chandler, Arizona. His most recent blog post "6 Things on My Education Wish list" was a short list of six things he wished for his chosen profession.
The list included:
1.) Teachers treated as professionals
2.) Recognition that good teaching is not just about curriculum
3.) Provide adequate resources
4.) Stop talking about the tests
5.) Recognize that poverty is a HUGE factor in education
6.) Less fear, more adventure
For each item on his list he goes into detail about why that is on his list. I agreed with every want on his wish list and that it was very understandable for anyone in the field of education. I stated that on my own personal wish list I would add that teachers should be more appreciated. I have always felt that sometimes teachers are taken for granted and people do not really see all the jobs a teacher really takes on.

Another one of Jeff Delp's post was titled "5 Things I Want My Daughter to Learn in School." This too was a short list of things he wished was emphasized in his daughter education. He had to set aside his profession as an educator and really be a father while making this list.
This list included the following:
1.) Thinking
2.) Empathy
3.) Purpose
4.) Creativity
5.) Difference Making
Again, for each idea on his list he explains into details why he wants each of these things in his daughter's education. I stated how I also wished those things for my future children and even my future students. The post was very well thought out. I agreed that children can start making a difference now in their lives.

Blog Post #7

What can we learn about teaching and learning from Randy Pausch?

The Last Lecture given by Randy Pausch was very significant because it was actually going be the last lecture he would ever give. Pausch told how he had ten tumors in his liver and was given three to six months to live. Even knowing all this, you could still see his enthusiasm and passion for his job. He faced the destiny of his life with no fear. I got the pleasure of actually reading Randy's Pausch's book The Last Lecture in high school and I absolutely enjoyed reading the book. After reading the book, we watched his last lecture as a class and it was very touching. It really hit home for all of us because we were all seniors in high school about to go to college and try to pursue our dreams.

One point that Randy Pausch made that really stuck out to me was he talked about brick walls. He discussed how we are always going to run into a brick wall when we really want something. "The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something." Things do not always come easy in life, but brick walls help us fight for what we want and never give up. Another point Dr. Pausch makes is about time. "The key question to keep asking is, are you spending your time on the right things? Because time is all you have." I think as a teacher time is a very important element. Teachers only have one year with their students before they have to either repeat the grade or they move on to the next grade. Only one school year is given to teach the students everything they need to know before they can hopefully move on to the next grade. I think in that time teachers can also learn a lot from the students as well.

Shortly after giving this lecture, Randy Pausch died from liver cancer. After reading and watching the last lecture, I will definitely use some of these life lessons as I continue to strive to become a teacher one day. I will also use Pausch's wisdom in my classroom when I become a teacher.

C4K#1

For the month of February, I was assigned to post comments on various kids' blogs. The first week I was assigned to post a comment on a fifth grade student's blog from Mrs. Schneider's English class. They were from Missouri. In this blog post, the student discussed argumentative writing and what a thesis statement was. The student gave step by step instructions on how to write a thesis statement. I commented on the blog post saying how this would help me while writing since I have been doing a lot of writing in college.

The second week I commented on a student named Daniel's blog post from Mrs. Caddy's class. They were from Virginia, MN. They student's blog was actually a survey that I responded to. The survey had just a few questions, some serious and some silly.
The questions said:
1.) How tall are you?
2.) How many pets do you have?
3.) How big are your feet?
4.) Do you have teeth?
5.) Do you have long hair?
I commented on the survey stating how I loved the uniqueness of the questions and I enjoyed answering them.

The third week I commented on a student named Aubrey from Mrs. Schneider's third grade English class. Aubrey posted blogs about the weather. Her most recent blog was about how Gary Lezark from their local weather channel was coming to visit English Landing on March 25, 2014. He was going to discuss weather forecasting. She also provided a video of him on the weather channel. I commented saying how that must be exhilarating for her to meet him since she blogs about the weather.

The last week I was assign to comment on Russwell Wilson The Big Dog's blog post from Mrs. Miller's fourth block class. His most recent post was about NFL football. He provided many facts about NFL football in his blog post. I commented saying how you could tell by the way he talked about football that he is a dedicated fan. I liked how he used many facts to back up what he was discussing. I said it was interesting reading all the facts because I do not know that much about football. I did not learn the rules of football until I got to college.

Blog Post #6

A PLN or "Personal Learning Network" allows you to have quick and easy access to people and tools that may be able to help you. It allows you to design this the way you need it for your own benefit. You can also create whatever is needed for your own needs for the future. One example of a PLN is Symbaloo. Symbaloo allows you organize anything you may need or use the most on the internet. As a teacher, I will be using a lot of technology and many websites for different activities for my students. PLN will help me to organize everything I use very often so I can always go back to it in the future.

Project #8

Blog Post #5

This week we were assigned to watch videos of interviews between our professor in EDM310, Dr. Strange, and Anthony Capps. Mr. Capps is currently a third grade teacher in Gulf Shores, AL. These videos discuss project based learning and how to use it in the classroom. Mr. Capps uses project based learning in his classroom with his students. He explains that doing these projects pushes the students to learn the content needed to know before doing the project. He also states that the students must have a good audience for their project so they are motivated to do a good job on it. It also gives the students satisfaction in their own work once they are finished and can see what they have completed. Mr. Capps gives some examples of projects he has done with his students.

In another video, Dr. Strange and Anthony Capps discuss iCurio. This is something that I have never heard of before. iCurio is a search engine where students can search for websites, pictures, videos, audios, and other types of media. Another useful feature of iCurio is students and teachers can log on to it and it will store any information that they found and may need in the future. I thought this was very interesting and helpful.

In another video called Don't Teach Tech- Use It, Dr. Strange and Anthony Capps discuss technology and using it in the classroom. Mr. Capps explains that teaching technology should not be taught in the curriculum, but should just be used in the lessons. The students definitely have technology in their lives and especially in their classroom.

C4T#1

I was assigned to post comments on Principal Julie Vincentsen's blog. Her most recent blog that I read discussed audio books. She was stating how audio books can help readers who struggle with reading. It helps some students to be able to hear the book read to them. This helps them understand the story better. She discusses how iPods and MP3 players are so small that a student having a book read to them with one of these would not be so distracting for the student's peers. She also goes on to list places where audio books are available. In reply to this blog, I agreed that audio books was a fantastic idea to help struggling readers. I think audio books are heard with expression and emotion which can help the reader engage in the story and understand it better.

Another one of Principal Vincentsen's blogs that I read discussed report cards. She states how students feel anxious and nervous when bringing home their report card to their parents. They are scared of being grounded or getting in trouble for their grades. She discusses how parents should try to focus more on what makes them proud, instead of focusing on any of the bad grades their child may have received. In reply to this blog, I state how when I was younger my parents always told me to just do my best and that was good enough for them. I agree that parents should show their children how proud they are of them for doing their best, no matter what their best may be.

Blog Post #4

For this assignment, we were to focus on one question. What do we need to know about asking questions to be an effective teacher? There were many sources to refer to in attempt to try to understand this question. In one article by Ben Johnson called The Right Way to Ask Questions in the Classroom, he really breaks it down and is very honest about asking questions in the classroom. He explains that teachers really do not know everything and that is okay. Teachers can not just ask their students if they understand the material that was just taught. The students may not realize that they do not understand the material because they do not know enough about it. I think teachers need to ask their students questions, but they have to be asked in a certain way.

Blog Post #3

How Can You Provide Meaningful Feedback to Your Peers?

This week we were basically forced to sit inside for three days because it was so icy outside. During the week, we were assigned to watch two videos and a slideshow about peer editing and the correct way to go about doing it. My favorite video of the two was titled Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes. The video presented a class of fourth or fifth graders showing what NOT to do when reviewing a peer's writing. This video was very clever and helpful, but also quite hilarious! The other video and slideshow just give helpful tips and steps on how to properly peer edit.

The video and slideshow gave three steps to go by when peer editing. The three steps include compliments, suggestions, and corrections. First, I am always to start of my peer review with a compliment. Then, I can give suggestions to make their writing better. Lastly, I can give corrections on grammar, punctuation, etc. I agree that HOW you state things when peer editing is very important. I am going to peer edit someone else's writing the same way I would want someone to peer editing my writing. I think peer editing is very important and is very beneficial not only to the writer, but to the one editing as well.

Blog Post #2

What will teaching in the 21st century be like?

This week, we were assigned to watch a few videos from YouTube. The videos were actually quite interesting and very creative.

The first video we were asked to watch was titled Professor Dancealot. At first, I was very confused, but then I began to catch on. It started off normal, with a professor walking into his dance class that he claimed to have taught for 12 years. He goes through a slide show, demonstrating how to perform each dance, but he is doing it from behind a desk and the students are unable to see anything. When one student stands up to try the dance himself, the professor tells him to sit down because he is trying to teach a class. At the end of the course when the students are taking their final exam, none of the students understand what to do. They never comprehended any of the dances because they were not able to try them in class. I think the author is trying to show that thorough demonstrations and hand on activities will ultimately end with better results. The author shows this at the end of the video when he starts the music and all of the students are lost. I completely agree that hands on activities will end with better results. I am a hands on learner and I remember things better when I am able to demonstrate them.

Next, we were asked to watch Teaching in the 21st Century. Watching this, I think the author thinks that teaching is changing so much over time and we should try and keep up with whatever the updated media is. The author goes through all the types of social media that is out there and how each one would help teachers and students. I agree that we should keep up with the updated media. I think it can be very useful and if it is there we should try and use it.

The next video we were assigned to watch was called The Networked Student. Watching this video, it made a lot of sense. It was very interesting and shared a lot of interesting information. It's true though. The teacher is the one that guides the student through the learning process. When the student gets stuck, the teacher is there to help the student get passed it. The teacher shows the students how to look up information for themselves so they can later apply it.

Another video we were asked to watch was Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts. The thesis of Davis' video was using technology in the classroom, teaching with technology and actually learning from your students and what they learn as well. I completely agree that using technology in the classroom is very beneficial. I do not agree that only a certain type of student can learn with just pencil and paper. Before we had all this technology, that is all there was. Obviously, using technology is very helpful. There is so much information and benefits that it provides and it definitely can help with teaching, but I do not think we should rely on it as much.

Lastly, we watched Flipping the Classroom. I really enjoyed this presentation and thought it was a wonderful idea. I have never heard of anything like this being done before, but it makes sense why teachers would want to do this. I think every student deserves to know what is coming at them the next day in class. This allows the students time to prepare themselves and questions for what I coming the next day. I do think I could use this and it would be helpful for when I become a teacher. This will make it to where every day, class time is not wasted at all. Every bit of time is being used wisely and the students will have so much time to prepare.

Blog Post #1

I have not previously heard anything about EDM310. A fear I have about EDM310 is I am not that great with computers. I use the computer a lot for social media and things like that, but when it comes to blogging and using HTML, I am not that great. I have not previously taken any other class like EDM310. The only other computer class I have ever taken was computer discovery. That was just teaching me the basics and how to type. The most difficult thing for me in EDM310 will be getting past the learning curve of using HTML and using the codes within my blogs. It will be difficult to learn all these things compared to what I already know and what I have learned in high school. The best way for me to address this difficulty would be just to go in the class with an open mind, making sure that I pay close attention to what is being taught. I will have to make sure I study and memorize all the codes.

Practice Blog Post

My name is Jamie Lynn Grierson. I have lived at the same house in Moss Point, MS all of my life. I graduated high school in May of 2012 and started college at Mississippi State University that fall. I was at Mississippi state for 3 semesters and decided that I just didn't like being that far away from home. I missed my family and friends so I decided to transfer to the University of South Alabama this semester. I know a lot of people that attend USA from high school so that makes the transfer a lot easier. I have a very close family. My parents, Jim and Althea, have been married for 28 years. I have one sister named Melanie that will be 27 tomorrow actually. I like being home and being able to spend more time with my family while I can.

I have literally wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. I love kids and I know that I am going to enjoy watching them learn and grow. At first, I wanted to teach the little kids, like kindergarten or first grade. All I heard about was how I did not have the patience to teach small children. I then decided to change my major to secondary education, concentrating in mathematics. I was taking so many math classes that I could be an engineer. I got in calculus I and couldn't handle it. I changed my major back to elementary education and I have finally decided that I want to teach around 5th or 6th grade. They aren't too young, but aren't too old either. Just the right age for me.

One of my passions as always been singing. My whole family can sing. We all got the singing gene apparently. At Mississippi State I was in show choir which helped me with performing. Other than that I just sing at church or for fun. I would love to take some singing lessons. Not for professional reasons or anything like that. I would just like to learn more about singing and controlling my voice. I can sing, but I could always be better. There is always room to grow.

Testing Posts

This is to test my posts.

My Test Post Title

This is my first post. I clicked the HTML button which I should always do in EDM310. I am now a Blogger!