Blog Assignment 10

Do You Teach or Do You Educate?
This video, "Do You Teach or Do You Educate?" gives an interesting perspective on the difference between teaching and educating. I definitely want to be an educator as opposed to a teacher. I am a Secondary Education major and my area of study in Social Science/History. So many people think that History is boring because it is a series of dates, events, and people. To some degree this is true because this is the way that many teachers are teaching it. The ONLY reason that the facts (dates, people, etc) are important is to give a point of reference for what I think is the more important focus of history. I want my students to think about the outcomes of these things and how things might have been different if ONE thing was changed. For instance, how would WWI have been different if the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand had never happened? Or, how would the Civil War have played out if the North had grown agriculturally and the South had grown as the industrial capital of the United States? To answer these questions, students need to understand the true events and THINK about the social, political, and economic implications at an age appropriate level of course.
This is just one example of how I plan to educate as opposed to teaching. I also want my students to be excited about the information. I had a great example of how to do this. My mom had a Master's in History and instead of talking to 4th and 5th graders about the history of Mobile, she did walking tours of downtown Mobile. She would take them to the source and "show and tell". She LOVED history and knew facts that you couldn't find in a history book. She would tell little stories about people and places that gave you a deeper understanding about who or what was really happening. This was before the internet and to get information like that she really had to dig and research and read. She went above and beyond to get kids excited and involved in the stories she was telling. I want to become as immersed as she did.
As great as this sounds, I don't see the world through rose-colored glasses. I know that to teach this way, I still have a curriculum and standards to follow. This has always been my fear of teaching and I have mentioned it in previous blogs. In EDM310, I am becoming more comfortable with the balance that I will need to have. Being introduced to people like Rafe Esquith, Richard Miller, Scott McLeod, and Sir Ken Robinson has given me a lot of direction and I am determined to have the best of both worlds!

Tom Johnson's Don't Let Them Take The Pencil's Home
"Don't Let Them Take the Pencil's Home" illustrates how all too often, teachers get so wrapped up in the problem that they forget about the solutions that can fix the problem. Mr. Johnson does this in a brilliant little anecdote where two teachers are talking about the use of pencils. One is focused on the fact that the pencils could be used for things non-educational, like hang-man. The other is focused on how to solve the problem. My favorite part was when one asked, "How do you hold them accountable at home?" and the other responded, "I don't...". She went on to explain that they are probably learning things that we aren't aware of while they are playing hang-man. The reason I found this part so interesting is because I think there is a correlation with what we have talked abut in EDM310 before. Many people are against the idea of technology in the classroom because they think that students will use the technology for non-educational purposes. On the outside, some activities might appear to serve no true purpose. For instance, what is the purpose of Twitter and Facebook? Socialization, communication, collaboration, sharing thoughts and ideas, working through problems, researching, reading about pop culture and who's who.... all with their peers? That's crazy! What could they possibly learn from their peers? The answer is A LOT! All of the things mentioned above HAVE to be learned if we want to produce successful adults. The difference is, they are doing it differently than the generations before them. There is nothing wrong with that. We (the adults) have to change our way of thinking to fit into their world, not the other way around.

C4T 3 Jennifer Brokofsky

In the month of October, I followed a Math teacher by the name of Jennifer Brokofsky. Her blog is titled "A Work In Progress". Driving to Mathematical Success-Gradual Release of Responsibilty was the first post of hers that I read. This was interesting to me because she talked about the current method of teaching math and how the transition between "showing" and "doing" needs to be more drawn out. Her main reasoning behind this is because children are missing important concepts that will inhibit the learning process later. I commented that I agreed and that I was living proof that this situation occurs. I was never good at math and never really understood it until I was a junior in high school. The only reason I got it then was because I had a teacher that recognized that I missed those basic skills and cared enough to get me back on track.
The second post I read was called Creating Mathland. This was another great post that was about creating a math immersion type of situation in the classroom. This technique is used with foreign languages and many people believe that it could be beneficial in a math environment as well. I commented back that I thought it was a great idea and could be done. In fact, what other areas could this be done in? History? Literature? We know that many things are learned from the environment. By creating an environment that is immersed with the appropriate subject, the learning objectives would be enriched greatly.

Blog Assignment 9

What I've Learned This Year (2008-09)

In this blog post, Mr. McClung gives an account of the things that he has learned from his first year of teaching. There were several things that he mentioned. The first that sticks out in my mind is learning to teach for student comprehension as opposed to assessment by superiors. This is one of my personal fears of becoming a teacher and I think it is important to learn the difference and find a balance early in my career. He seems to have found that balance and cares deeply for his students and the quality of education that he is providing them with.
Another point that I found interesting was being flexible. This is easier said than done, especially in the field of education. Everything is so planned and organized. Anything can throw a wrench in those plans and change that "oh-so-perfect lesson plan" into a constant work in progress. His advice was not to freak out when it happens and in fact anticipate those changes.
The last thing I will mention is because it is so important in EDM310 and the fact that he states it here proves the point. He learned not to be afraid of technology. WOW! A first year teacher making this statement..... What does this tell us? It tells us that the rumors are all true. Technology is important and can enhance the learning environment.

What I've Learned This Year (2009-10)
In this blog post, Mr. McClung goes through another self evaluation and blogs about what he has learned in his second year of teaching. The first thing he mentioned was learning how to adapt. As teachers, we will be called to wear many different hats. He was put in a position where he had to teach history, which he had never taught before. He found that teaching science (his forte) and history were very different and he had ot adapt to fit the call of duty.
Another thing that he learned was to find a "school mom". I think this is a brilliant piece of advice. Everyone needs a mom close by to help you get through the rough days. Having someone close to you that has more experience than you is essential. We don't know it all!
The last thing that I will mention that Mr. McClung learned was to "check his ego at the door". Teaching is one job that requires a passionate attitude. Your students will read you like a book and if you aren't excited about the information, how can you expect them to be excited? He wasn't afraid to make himself look like an idiot if it meant that his students would mirror his enthusiasm. More importantly, they got more out of his class because of his enthusiasm.

My Reaction to Mr. McClung's Blog
I think that self evaluation or reflection is an important trait to develop. Not just for teachers, but everyone. Being honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses will serve you better in your professional and personal life and you will be able to go farther with both. With that being said, Mr. McClung did an amazing job putting his blog together. It was a genuine and honest account and it was clear that his motive was purely for becoming a better teacher. It's hard to admit to our shortcomings sometimes. It's even harder to admit them to an audience. The key to self reflection is coming up with solutions that will make things better and Mr. McClung did just that. I know that his blog was for him (as the exercise of self evaluation should always be), but I couldn't help but reading it as advice to future teachers as well. My experience will be different from his but I enjoyed reading it because I know that I will have my own frustrations, issues, and growing pains in my first few years. Now I know that I won't be the only one!

Project 13: Part 1 SMART Board Instruction

Project 11

Blog Assignment 8

This is How We Dream
 In This is How We Dream part 1, Mr. Miller explains how he wrote an entire paper about the Virginia Tech massacre without ever stepping foot in a library and delivered a speech on the topic. Years ago, this would not have been possible. This is part of the incremental change, as well as collaboration. Collaboration gives us the ability to combine and share ideas immediately, which adds depth to our ideas. The fundamental changes that he talks about in This is How We Dream part 2, are about the way that we write, publish,and distribute information. Using multimedia makes information immediate and more interesting by adding sound and visuals that were not possible years ago.
I agree with Mr. Miller's video, however, I am an avid reader and still enjoy books of the tangible variety. Ever since I was a child, there was something about the feel and smell of the pages that allured me. I love ink on my fingertips. I am a "nerd", and I am okay with that. With that being said, I have found myself recently opting for digital versions of books for convenience sake. I believe that eventually, those fond sensations of childhood will become memories of the past and I will tell my  grandchildren "When I was a child....". I also keep up with current events in mostly digital formats. This is mainly because it is immediate and changes as events change. I am able to stay more up to date this way.
Dr Strange asked: "Are you prepared to write with multimedia?". The answer is, no. Not yet at least. I still have much to learn about how to do it and do it well. I believe in doing everything in the best way possible. I don't want to put my name on anything that isn't top notch and publish it on the internet. I know basics that I have learned in EDM310, but even after this semester is over I have to continue the process. I have to keep learning as technology changes. I do know that I am eager and willing to learn because I believe that it is the future and more importantly, the BEST way to write. I also want to make this change and continue to learn how to use technology for my future students. I want them to learn how to be able to do this as early as possible. If I can't teach them then I will be doing them a serious disservice. This is part of my job as a teacher in this generation, plain and simple.
My feelings being as they are, I was shocked to read the comments to his video on youtube. Some people are completely against the idea and many of those are people that are in the academic world. I suppose that these are the people that do not understand technology and might be afraid of what it will do to their careers and where they fit into the puzzle. Like it or not, it is the future. Instead of focusing on what will happen if they do follow suit, they should be considering what will happen if they don't. Embrace it and learn it or be left behind and I will be applying for your job in a few years.

Carly's Post
I absolutely love what Carly did in her post. Instead of just listing each video and why it was important or relevant to her, she built her post (words) around the videos and put the links directly in. I was able to clearly read and understand what she was saying and click on the links to reinforce her ideas. I think she came as close as possible to Mr. Miller's ideas of writing with multi-media.
I like the idea of the assignment for several reasons. First, is because I am all about being put in situations where I am able to dig for information and think for myself. I have said this a million times and I am gong to say it again. The most effective way to learn anything is through self discovery and this is the next reason why I like this assignment. It challenges the student to think about the kind of teacher they want to be and gives them an opportunity to find other sources of information that will reinforce those thoughts and ideas. And the last reason is because it's just fun. School doesn't have to be boring, does it? Why can't we have a little fun along the way?
Overall, it was a great assignment and Carly did a wonderful job putting it together.

EDM310 for Dummies
This video was strange to me when I first watched it at the beginning of the semester because I was unaware of the extreme amount of frustration that EDM310 was going to cause me. Now, I laugh as I watch it because I think that was what I looked like in weeks 2-4. In fact, I might have actually thrown my computer and screamed at it. It's a fun video that illustrates my feelings at that time very well. The greatest thing about it is that all I had to do was relax. All of the information I needed was right in front of me and the rest was just a Google click away.
This would have been a fun video to be a part of and it was a clever idea. I think it would be interesting to create another video that illustrates the same idea in a different way. "A Love Note to Future EDMers" or "Future Strangeonians" that would contain do's and dont's in a comical way. It would be something that could be left behind for future "EDMers" to remind them to relax and have fun. This is a HARD course, but once you stop freaking out so much you can really get so much out of it.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn
I agree with all of the arguments made in this video. The arguments made here have been made in several other videos that we have watched from the beginning of the semester. The bottom line is that technology has changed children's lives completely. The way they think, communicate, gather information, and the way they process ideas in their personal lives have changed drastically from the previous generation. Why have we not pushed more for technological resources in their classrooms? This is what they are comfortable with and familiar with. I encourage everyone to watch Learn to Change, Change to Learn: Student Voices. This video explains different ways that young kids are using technology in their lives and it is an eye opening video.
One of the reasons why I wanted to become a teacher is because I am fascinated with what children have to say. Take a room of 14 year old children and ask them a question that you think might be above their level and see what kind of answers you get. In order to appreciate what they have to say, remember that they do not have as much life experience as you. If you can do this I promise you will be amazed. Children have voices and amazing things to say. The technology that they use everyday and love so much has caused them to be much more in tune with what is going on in the world than I ever thought about being at that age. In some ways, I think that I have more to learn from them than they do from me.

Blog Assignment 7

The first time I was introduced to Randy Pausch was about 3 years ago. I was e-mailed a link to his video on youtube, The Last Lecture.To say that I was moved and inspired is an understatement. As he introduces himself in the beginning, you learn that he is dying and has been given just a few months to live. He has a smile on his face, he is making jokes, and he is trying to impart some of his wisdom onto other people. This is not what I expected from a man who just said that he is dying.
The theme of his lecture was "Achieving Your Childhood Dreams". Dr. Pausch explained several of his childhood dreams and how they came true or were re-stated after reality set in (i.e. being an NFL player). He spoke of his work as a professor and how he helped others to accomplish their childhood dreams. Of all the things on his list, helping others was the most rewarding to him. Dr. Pausch was well respected by his peers, colleagues, and students before this video ever went viral. Now he has reached millions of people.
I could say many things about Dr. Pausch's last lecture. I could speak of his accomplishments, his professional nature, etc. However, the greatest thing I got from the lecture was what he liked to call a "head fake". Years ago when I finished watching the video, I immediately started to evaluate my life and take my own personal inventory. I didn't sit and ponder the real content of the video at all. As I finished watching it for this assignment, again I didn't think about content, only how I wanted to live my life. Apparently, this is a technique that he enjoyed using with his students and it worked on me....TWICE!
When I decided to become a teacher it was because I wanted to impact someone's life in a selfless way. I hope that I have more than one opportunity to do this, but if I just made a difference in the life of one child, I would be happy. Dr. Pausch made me realize that the impact that I will have on one person will have a ripple effect on others. Indirectly it will happen and his entire life is testament to this. Just read the comments on his youtube video. He has deeply touched the lives of people that he never met personally. He was an amazing man with incredible principles and he has left a legacy behind.

Project 9b Instructional Timetoast

Project 10 PLN update

I still have a lot of work to do on my PLN. I chose to use Symbaloo for my PLN because when I investigated both options provided, it seemed to be more user friendly. I also investigated the PLN's of other people and most of those were on Symbaloo. At the moment, I have created links for almost all of the websites and blogs that we have been introduced to in EDM310. I hope to continue adding more that I find on my own as I continue to grow my PLN.

C4T 2 Jerrid Kruse

Mr. Kruse has an amazing blog and a lot to say. The first blog post I read was on 9/25 and it was basically a warning about creativity. He explained that by using all of these wonderful forms of technology, important learning objectives might be missed. The student may become so involved in the project and how it is being done, that they are missing the point of the project. I commented back that I agreed. It is important that teachers are aware of this before they begin a project and remind students of the right direction.
The second post on 11/9 was about a STEM council that was created of less than 25% educators. The other 75% were business leaders. I'm not going to lie, I had never heard of this term and had to research to find out what it was all about. What I discovered is that there is a lot of buzz around this subject. STEM stands for: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The idea is a way to address the increasing demand for jobs requiring strong foundations in these areas. There are STEM councils being created in several states. I think it would be ignorant for anyone to deny the importance of these councils. Their purpose is correct and accurate. I agree with Mr. Kruse, however, in his anger over the way they are being put together. The ratio of 25%-75% sends a very loud message that education of the children is not at the center of the councils created. A council created with business objectives would not have a 75% council of educators. There is a serious disconnect that leaves me wondering what the true purpose is.

C4K Summary

For the month of September I had the pleasure of reading and posting on several young students' blogs. I was generally impressed with their abilities to create and effectively use a blog. Most of them talked about general things going on in their lives like school work, siblings, sports, etc. My posts in response to them were just trying to encourage them to continue their blogs and keep their positive attitudes. Their classroom blogs were really awesome. It gave information about what they were doing in class, which I think would be especially beneficial to parents. The one blog that sticks out to me the most is the video from last week about differences and similarities. The students made self portraits and stated why they were different and similar. My favorite part was the bloopers at the end. It showed that they had fun while they were doing it and it wasn't just work.
I am enjoying this series of assignments because it illustrates different ways that blogs can be used in a learning environment and gives me ideas for how I can use one in my own classroom.

Blog Post 6

The Networked Student
The idea of a "Networked Student" sounds great to me. I think that there are many pros and cons to the idea and not all can be listed here. Let me first explain a few ways that I think this idea will benefit children and increase their learning experience. The idea gives children the freedom to learn in the way that best fits them. For instance, currently there are 20-30 students in one classroom. All of them have different skill levels, personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. How in the world can a teacher give an assignment to all of them, ONE way to complete the assignment, and expect it to result in the same learning objectives? It is a proven fact that some people are visual learners, some are auditory, and some learn through action or "doing". This will give them the ability to learn in a way that will maximize the learning objectives for THEM, not for completion in a grade book. Another benefit is that it opens the door to more resources than they could ever find in a textbook. A textbook is the exact same thing in a different form. The only difference is that the collaboration of information gathered is by an author, publishing company, editor, etc. In a way, the student is collecting information and creating their own textbook from which to learn and they are doing it on a broader, more up to date scale. Information changes so fast and becomes obsolete before many textbooks are ever printed. This insures that the student is getting the most current information available. The last benefit that I can see to this is that it also gives children access to information that fits into their "belief window". A belief window is the information that they are given that fits into their current social, moral, and ethical belief systems. A child, especially younger children, do not accept information well that is contradictory to that belief window.  This could be considered a bad thing as well. However, it is my personal belief that you first meet a child where they are comfortable and then slowly begin to push that belief window open a little at a time until you have a well rounded, open-minded individual. This is part of a self-discovery process and the best way to learn.
Some of the cons to the Networked Student are really all logistics. How do you convince administration to allow it? How do you convince parents that it is a good thing? I think that it would have to be a transition, especially for students. You can't take a group of students that have been taught to sit quietly, take notes, regurgitate information, and then ask them to take control of their education. It would be culture shock, confusion, and chaos. I believe that it is possible and beneficial to all parties involved, but would require a great deal of planning and a lot of growing pains.
This is definitely something that I am ready for, although I still have much to learn. As I was watching the video I thought that it would be interesting to take a sixth grade Social Studies class and have them do exactly what was mentioned in the video. Use all of the information collected to create an online textbook with proper credits and citations, of course. Just like a hard copy book. The only difference would be that it would contain audio clips, video clips, direct links, group interaction, forums, shared ideas, etc. This would prove to all of the nay-sayers that it is indeed possible. The next year, the information would be updated and changed by the new class so that it was always accurate and up to date. Perhaps I will make that my mission!

Wendy Drexler's Blog
I enjoyed Ms. Drexler's blog. The explanation about the networked student seems to be a few years old. I would be interested to see if she tried it and what the results were. I can only imagine what an undertaking it would have been. I think it would have been well worth it in the end. I think that we are still a long way away from this experience being the norm, as I said earlier it will require a transition period. This is the way, however, that education should be moving and there is no time like the present to start.
On the right hand column of her blog it had links to several up to date websites that were full of information about technology in the classroom. One article I read was about a school system that is currently evaluating their social media policies. The biggest problem they said they were facing is getting everyone to agree on the specifics. It was a great article and it is good to see that people are at least trying to get on board. Here is the link: http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_19022521.

A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment
I just can't say this enough. I am constantly amazed at what kids are capable of. This 7th grader has a PLN that puts mine to shame. I am also afraid to admit that she seems to have much more command of her own education than I do. SHE'S ONLY 12? I think that I do a great job of controlling my learning experience until I see something like this. I wish more people would take time to learn about current educational trends and could see exactly what kids are capable of and what is currently available to them. The resources they are using are helpful and appropriate. I had a biology professor that told me, "You have no idea how good you've got it. When I was in college if we wanted access to another book at a library at a different University, we had to write a letter requesting it. Then we had to wait for it to be mailed to our University library. Then we only had access to it for a few days and it couldn't leave the library." I didn't feel sorry for him because I imagined what the generation before him had to do. Horse and buggy, perhaps. I'm not really sure. Each generation has access to more information and better resources that the one before. It's nothing to be bitter about or afraid of. It's something to embrace and encourage.

Project 8 Podcast

EDM 310 - Podcast - Rafe Esquith's "There Are No Shortcuts" - Ch 1,2,12, and epilogue by Isaac Evans - EDM 310