Saturday, November 23, 2013
Blog Post #14
For our Blog Post 14, we were able to pick out any assignment we wanted to create. I really enjoyed this blog post because it allows us to let our creativity show. The possibilities are endless for this assignment!
I choose to use Wordle for my assignment. Wordle is very easy to use and it generates "word clouds" from the text you provide. The words should pertain to History for my assignment, but you can still be creative. Maybe the words you choose are your favorite events or topics in History. Wordle allows you to change the colors and font of your text as well, so personalize it to fit your personality.
This is my Wordle that I created:
I choose to use Wordle for my assignment. Wordle is very easy to use and it generates "word clouds" from the text you provide. The words should pertain to History for my assignment, but you can still be creative. Maybe the words you choose are your favorite events or topics in History. Wordle allows you to change the colors and font of your text as well, so personalize it to fit your personality.
This is my Wordle that I created:
C4T #4
C4T #1
In Brian Crosby's blog Rethinking School District Social Media Policies for Teachers/Students he discusses how schools block sites that could be used for educational purposes. Fortunately, the school he teaches at blocks very little so he is able to incorporate technology into his classroom. However, most schools do block twitter, youtube, wiki's, and blogs. Teachers and students are not allowed to give their input about this issue. Mr. Crosby wants school districts to rethink their policy regarding this situation. Students could use these websites for educational purposes and enjoy learning. Teachers could adhere to the Common Core standards because students are suppose to collaborate globally.
I commented on his post saying this was a great topic for a blog post. I completely agree with his discussion. School districts really should rethink their social media policies. I recently started blogging for educational purposes in college and it makes me wish I had this option in high school. My high school was very strict on social media sites and we did not have this choice at all. I believe that as advanced as technology is teachers should be able to incorporate it into their lesson plans. Technology is a very important resource and students need to be technologically literate so they are better prepared for their future. It is wonderful that his school blocks very little media sites. Overall, I really enjoyed reading his blog post.
C4T #2
In Brian Crosby's blog STEM: Cantilever Spans he discusses how he participated in a school's family STEM/science night and it turned out to be a blast. Mr. Crosby had the parents watch and participate with their students in an entertaining classroom lesson plan. The students were given washers and paint stirring sticks to use for this experiment. Crosby gave as little input as possible since it was an inquiry experiment. However, he explained that the objective was to make the longest possible span by placing a paint stirrer out on the table and than using the washers as weights. Soon, the students were very engaged trying to build the longest span possible. The student got really creative and some of the parents even participated too. Crosby said that he had to eventually wrap the event up because the students were having so much fun at that one station.
I commented on his post and said that this was such a creative idea! It seems like your students had a blast for sure. I think that having a school family science night is very interesting. We never had a program like this and I would have truly enjoyed doing soemthing like this. Not only is this a fun learning experience for students, but it also allows the parents to participate. It helps the parents to see what their child is learning about as well as getting to know their child's teacher. I would love to do something like this in my future classroom one day.
In Brian Crosby's blog Rethinking School District Social Media Policies for Teachers/Students he discusses how schools block sites that could be used for educational purposes. Fortunately, the school he teaches at blocks very little so he is able to incorporate technology into his classroom. However, most schools do block twitter, youtube, wiki's, and blogs. Teachers and students are not allowed to give their input about this issue. Mr. Crosby wants school districts to rethink their policy regarding this situation. Students could use these websites for educational purposes and enjoy learning. Teachers could adhere to the Common Core standards because students are suppose to collaborate globally.
I commented on his post saying this was a great topic for a blog post. I completely agree with his discussion. School districts really should rethink their social media policies. I recently started blogging for educational purposes in college and it makes me wish I had this option in high school. My high school was very strict on social media sites and we did not have this choice at all. I believe that as advanced as technology is teachers should be able to incorporate it into their lesson plans. Technology is a very important resource and students need to be technologically literate so they are better prepared for their future. It is wonderful that his school blocks very little media sites. Overall, I really enjoyed reading his blog post.
C4T #2
In Brian Crosby's blog STEM: Cantilever Spans he discusses how he participated in a school's family STEM/science night and it turned out to be a blast. Mr. Crosby had the parents watch and participate with their students in an entertaining classroom lesson plan. The students were given washers and paint stirring sticks to use for this experiment. Crosby gave as little input as possible since it was an inquiry experiment. However, he explained that the objective was to make the longest possible span by placing a paint stirrer out on the table and than using the washers as weights. Soon, the students were very engaged trying to build the longest span possible. The student got really creative and some of the parents even participated too. Crosby said that he had to eventually wrap the event up because the students were having so much fun at that one station.
I commented on his post and said that this was such a creative idea! It seems like your students had a blast for sure. I think that having a school family science night is very interesting. We never had a program like this and I would have truly enjoyed doing soemthing like this. Not only is this a fun learning experience for students, but it also allows the parents to participate. It helps the parents to see what their child is learning about as well as getting to know their child's teacher. I would love to do something like this in my future classroom one day.
Final Report on PLN Project #2
This is my final report on my PLN. I added some new websites that I found interesting. The first website I choose to add was Discovery Education and I know we did not have a chance to use it in EDM310, but I would love to use this site in my future classroom. I plan on teaching in a digital based learning environment and this website uses all digital textbooks which would be perfect. Another, website I choose to add was National Geographic History and this website is amazing, especially since my goal is to become a History professor. I was really excited about adding this site because I find it to be very interesting. The last site I recently added is called Class Teacher and it offers digital classroom solutions. EDM310 has really influenced my views on technology and I can certainly say that my Symbaloo account will be filled with more technology websites.
C4K Summary (November)
C4K #1
I was assigned to a seventh grader named Porscha who attends Pt England school. Her blog was called My Planning and it was a picture of a girl opening her lunchbox only to find out that nothing was in it.
I commented on her post saying I enjoyed her cute story line. She did a great job on her different shots that she drew. Keep up the great work!
C4K #2
This week I commented on Mrs. Yollis' Classroom Blog Post Dr. and Mrs. Strange Visit. Dr. Strange and Mrs. Yollis have been blogging each other for a while now and were finally able to meet in person. Dr. Strange was really interested to see Mrs. Yollis' students use blogging and ipads to enhance their learning. Mrs. Yollis' students began by asking Dr. Strange and his wife open-ended questions. After the introductions, students separated into groups to work on their projects. Some students demonstrated their typing skills using the AlphaSmart typing program, while others worked on a project using puppetpals. Puppetpals allows the students to publish really interesting videos. They can choose a picture of anything and simply insert it into the video. Mrs. Yollis had two great examples on her blog of the puppetpal videos her students had created. The students that did not create puppetpal videos were blogging, which meant every student had a project to work on.
I commented on the blog post saying that I was excited to see that her and Dr. Strange finally met after blogging for quite some time now. I can tell it was a great experience for you both. Dr. Strange has taught us so much about technology and how we can incorporate it into our future classrooms. It is neat to see that Mrs. Yollis does use 21st century learning skills in her class and it has positive effects on her students. As a future educator, I cannot wait to use some of these techniques in my classroom. I really liked the picture of her student using the AlphaSmart typing program because I have never seen this device before. What a great technological tool to use! Overall, this post was very interesting and I can tell that her students really do enjoy learning in her class.
I was assigned to a seventh grader named Porscha who attends Pt England school. Her blog was called My Planning and it was a picture of a girl opening her lunchbox only to find out that nothing was in it.
I commented on her post saying I enjoyed her cute story line. She did a great job on her different shots that she drew. Keep up the great work!
C4K #2
This week I commented on Mrs. Yollis' Classroom Blog Post Dr. and Mrs. Strange Visit. Dr. Strange and Mrs. Yollis have been blogging each other for a while now and were finally able to meet in person. Dr. Strange was really interested to see Mrs. Yollis' students use blogging and ipads to enhance their learning. Mrs. Yollis' students began by asking Dr. Strange and his wife open-ended questions. After the introductions, students separated into groups to work on their projects. Some students demonstrated their typing skills using the AlphaSmart typing program, while others worked on a project using puppetpals. Puppetpals allows the students to publish really interesting videos. They can choose a picture of anything and simply insert it into the video. Mrs. Yollis had two great examples on her blog of the puppetpal videos her students had created. The students that did not create puppetpal videos were blogging, which meant every student had a project to work on.
I commented on the blog post saying that I was excited to see that her and Dr. Strange finally met after blogging for quite some time now. I can tell it was a great experience for you both. Dr. Strange has taught us so much about technology and how we can incorporate it into our future classrooms. It is neat to see that Mrs. Yollis does use 21st century learning skills in her class and it has positive effects on her students. As a future educator, I cannot wait to use some of these techniques in my classroom. I really liked the picture of her student using the AlphaSmart typing program because I have never seen this device before. What a great technological tool to use! Overall, this post was very interesting and I can tell that her students really do enjoy learning in her class.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Blog Post #13
Author:Kristie Bell
In Kakenya Ntaiya’s video A girl who demanded school she tells the inspirational story about her educational journey. Kakenya made a deal with her father about undergoing the traditional Maasai rite of passage if he would let her go to high school. In the Maasai culture the boys grow up to be warriors and the girls will be mothers. At five years old, Kakenya found out her parents had already arranged her marriage for her. She was expected to a perfect woman so that she could become a perfect wife one day. However, Kakenya’s mother was denied an education and she always wanted better for her children, so she pushed Kakenya and her siblings to get an education. Kakenya’s mother wanted a better life for her children than the one she was living. The case was very different with her father who would abuse her mother and kakenya’s mom could not question him because she was merely a woman. Kakenya’s dream was to become a teacher when she went to school and so she worked hard. As she was approaching high school she told her father she would only go through the Maasai ceremony if he let her continue school. He accepted because he did not want dishonor brought to his family. Kakenya went as far to apply for college and was accepted to a women’s college in Leesburg, Virginia. She needed the support of the village because even though she had a scholarship she had to raise money for her plane ticket. The village felt it was a wasted opportunity on a girl and should have been given to a boy instead. However, she was able to work with her village elders and she arrived in America. Kakenya said she was overwhelmed with enjoyment, but she also learned that what they did to her body during the ceremony in Kenya did was against the law. It is called female mutilation and many more girls in Kenya are at risk undergoing this. She learned that she had a right to her body and a right to an education. She also learned that her mom had a right to own property and did not deserve to be abused because she was a woman. Kakenya’s journey to America was a culture shock and a new eye opener for this young woman. It made her so angry when she discovered the news that she wanted to do something about this. She returned to Kenya and said she wanted to give back to the community. The people of the community and kakenya came up with a school for girls. The Kakenya Center for Excellence was established in 2009 with 32 students. The school is just for girls and it focuses on academics, leadership and female empowerment, as well as life skills. Kakenya also works with donors to provide scholarships for those who cannot afford tuition.
What can we learn from these TED talks?
We can learn so much from Kakenya’s inspirational story. First of all, her story should remind us of how blessed we truly are to live in the land of opportunity and to be able to have the option of earning a degree. We also have public education school system where children can get an education at no cost to their parents. So many of us take education for granted and many people drop out from high school before they even receive their diploma. This young woman wanted nothing more than to have a chance at receiving an education. She was able to fulfill her goals and dreams of becoming a teacher. Not only did she become a teacher, but she also became a wonderful role model to her home community. Kakenya is an absolute blessing to the young ladies that attend her school in Africa. She teaches us to follow our dreams and never give up even if it is not an easy journey. She is an outstanding example of what a teacher should be. We need to reach out and help our students to be successful in all that they do. Kakenya’s story was remarkable and it will always serve as a reminder to me.
What can we learn from these TED talks?
Kynyetta Barren
Shukla Bose: Teaching One Child at a Time
In this video, Teaching One Child at a Time, Shukla Bose talks about how she started the Parkrma Humanity Foundation. The foundation helps the children in India who live in the slums get an education. She went to the slums to identify houses where children lived who would never get to go to school. Bose then began talking to parents about getting their children into school. Shukla didn’t want to play the number game anymore, she made an effort to make a change. She wanted to provide the children of India with a better education. The foundation started a school with about 165 children. The foundation built more schools and even a junior college. Bose speaks about three myths that are believed in India. The first myth is that no one in the slums can speak English. that myth is not true, Bose showed a video to the audience of two children speaking English. the second myth was that parents do not like their children going to school. That’s totally wrong. Shukla stated that parents are very supportive and want their children going to school. The last myth was that children who lived in the slums did not integrate with other children who do not live in the slums. Once again, Bose presented a video of a girl that was given an opportunity to go to a camp with other students that didn’t live in the slums. The children were excited to make friends with the other children who didn’t live in the slums. The reason the schools became successful is that the schools and teachers operated under the idea, “one child at a time”, which means they would educate students focusing on treating each child as an individual. The idea of the Parikrma Humanity Foundation is to educate children and prepare them for the real world. Shukla stated at the end of her presentation, “what is in the building is not important, all that matters is what the children are learning.” This statement is so true! We learn that we can make a difference in any child’s life with education. Just by taking one step at a time to accomplish something so big for children of the future.We want our children with the best education possible. It’s very heartwarming to listen to what she did for the children of India.
Autumn Sprouse
For this blog, I chose to watch Charles Leadbeater's video Education Innovation in the Slums. Charles Leadbeater is a British author who writes on topics such as innovation and creativity. Leadbeater has advised many companies, cities, and even governments around the world on innovation strategy. He has written many popular books and continues to express his knowledge on education.
Leadbeater decided to start off in Monkey Hill, Rio in one of the biggest slums in the country. There he met a boy who dropped out of school at the age of fourteen, started working in a business to make money, and the age of sixteen was completely running that business and hired over 1,000 people to work for him. By the time he would reach 24, he would be expected to be dead. Living in the slums means a high death rate of AIDS and the life expectancy is low. Out of a room full of kids, over half of them do not have parents, and the other half only has one parent because of this AIDS outbreak. Luckily, this same boy met a guy in Rio who had installed the first computers in classrooms for the children in Rio. Leadbeater says with education and technology, there is a chance for hope. This video also showed the computers that Sugata Mitra showed in his video from the beginning in this year. Leadbeater showed a room full of students learning on computers and how they are reinventing the slums, just like what is happening around the country. Leadbeater says that we need more reinventions to improve our schools. Our schools may look the same from the outside, but from the inside we need to push forward to new technology. He also says we need to encourage our students more. Students are not going to want to further their education if we are not their backbone.
This video taught me so much about the slums and the education there. I'm so glad that people like Charles Leadbeater had the chance to go over there and make a difference to people to who are less fortunate. Leadbeater had many great ideas to bring to Rio, and to classrooms today around the world.
Turning Trash into Toys for Learning: By Arvind Gupta Author: Douglas R. Jarvis Jr
Arvind Gupta takes us on a marvelous journey in his talk about using things we normally would simply toss away in order to provide interactive teaching tools for children. He provides examples of using rubber tubing and match sticks to create countless mathematical shapes that could be used to teach angles, geometry, engineering and so many other lessons. He shows us how to create pumps from bicycle tubes and straws and generators from batteries, magnets, and paperclips. His ingenuity is a prime example that even the poorest school system can find ways to provide children with hands on learning tools. We get so bogged down in worrying about how to afford fancy classroom supplies. However, what really matters is teaching your students in a way that captivates them. By using these inexpensive methods, you can allow students to have hands on interaction and really see why the science or math involved creates the desired effect. We can all learn from this method of education. Face it, many school systems are going to be reluctant or unwilling to provide us money for projects. As teachers we can use Mr. Gupta’s ideas to turn our trash into toys built by our students.
It has been proven time after time that people learn best from practical experience. Yet, so many teachers continue to take the learning out of the students hands and force them to endure tedious and unmotivating lectures. Imagine listening to a lecture on shapes in your geometry class; now instead use, the rubber tubing and match sticks and let your students build the shapes and explore the strengths and weaknesses of each shape while you discuss the lesson. The student is intrigued because he wants to learn how to make the more interesting ones and captivated when he gets to play with his creation. Learning can be fun, it does not have to be a chore. We all know what it is like to be watching the clock praying for the bell. So lets all fight against that and create classrooms that our students don’t want to leave. We dont have to have a lot of money, just the desire and drive to learn how to maximize the resources we have.
In Kakenya Ntaiya’s video A girl who demanded school she tells the inspirational story about her educational journey. Kakenya made a deal with her father about undergoing the traditional Maasai rite of passage if he would let her go to high school. In the Maasai culture the boys grow up to be warriors and the girls will be mothers. At five years old, Kakenya found out her parents had already arranged her marriage for her. She was expected to a perfect woman so that she could become a perfect wife one day. However, Kakenya’s mother was denied an education and she always wanted better for her children, so she pushed Kakenya and her siblings to get an education. Kakenya’s mother wanted a better life for her children than the one she was living. The case was very different with her father who would abuse her mother and kakenya’s mom could not question him because she was merely a woman. Kakenya’s dream was to become a teacher when she went to school and so she worked hard. As she was approaching high school she told her father she would only go through the Maasai ceremony if he let her continue school. He accepted because he did not want dishonor brought to his family. Kakenya went as far to apply for college and was accepted to a women’s college in Leesburg, Virginia. She needed the support of the village because even though she had a scholarship she had to raise money for her plane ticket. The village felt it was a wasted opportunity on a girl and should have been given to a boy instead. However, she was able to work with her village elders and she arrived in America. Kakenya said she was overwhelmed with enjoyment, but she also learned that what they did to her body during the ceremony in Kenya did was against the law. It is called female mutilation and many more girls in Kenya are at risk undergoing this. She learned that she had a right to her body and a right to an education. She also learned that her mom had a right to own property and did not deserve to be abused because she was a woman. Kakenya’s journey to America was a culture shock and a new eye opener for this young woman. It made her so angry when she discovered the news that she wanted to do something about this. She returned to Kenya and said she wanted to give back to the community. The people of the community and kakenya came up with a school for girls. The Kakenya Center for Excellence was established in 2009 with 32 students. The school is just for girls and it focuses on academics, leadership and female empowerment, as well as life skills. Kakenya also works with donors to provide scholarships for those who cannot afford tuition.
What can we learn from these TED talks?
We can learn so much from Kakenya’s inspirational story. First of all, her story should remind us of how blessed we truly are to live in the land of opportunity and to be able to have the option of earning a degree. We also have public education school system where children can get an education at no cost to their parents. So many of us take education for granted and many people drop out from high school before they even receive their diploma. This young woman wanted nothing more than to have a chance at receiving an education. She was able to fulfill her goals and dreams of becoming a teacher. Not only did she become a teacher, but she also became a wonderful role model to her home community. Kakenya is an absolute blessing to the young ladies that attend her school in Africa. She teaches us to follow our dreams and never give up even if it is not an easy journey. She is an outstanding example of what a teacher should be. We need to reach out and help our students to be successful in all that they do. Kakenya’s story was remarkable and it will always serve as a reminder to me.
What can we learn from these TED talks?
Kynyetta Barren
Shukla Bose: Teaching One Child at a Time
In this video, Teaching One Child at a Time, Shukla Bose talks about how she started the Parkrma Humanity Foundation. The foundation helps the children in India who live in the slums get an education. She went to the slums to identify houses where children lived who would never get to go to school. Bose then began talking to parents about getting their children into school. Shukla didn’t want to play the number game anymore, she made an effort to make a change. She wanted to provide the children of India with a better education. The foundation started a school with about 165 children. The foundation built more schools and even a junior college. Bose speaks about three myths that are believed in India. The first myth is that no one in the slums can speak English. that myth is not true, Bose showed a video to the audience of two children speaking English. the second myth was that parents do not like their children going to school. That’s totally wrong. Shukla stated that parents are very supportive and want their children going to school. The last myth was that children who lived in the slums did not integrate with other children who do not live in the slums. Once again, Bose presented a video of a girl that was given an opportunity to go to a camp with other students that didn’t live in the slums. The children were excited to make friends with the other children who didn’t live in the slums. The reason the schools became successful is that the schools and teachers operated under the idea, “one child at a time”, which means they would educate students focusing on treating each child as an individual. The idea of the Parikrma Humanity Foundation is to educate children and prepare them for the real world. Shukla stated at the end of her presentation, “what is in the building is not important, all that matters is what the children are learning.” This statement is so true! We learn that we can make a difference in any child’s life with education. Just by taking one step at a time to accomplish something so big for children of the future.We want our children with the best education possible. It’s very heartwarming to listen to what she did for the children of India.
Autumn Sprouse
For this blog, I chose to watch Charles Leadbeater's video Education Innovation in the Slums. Charles Leadbeater is a British author who writes on topics such as innovation and creativity. Leadbeater has advised many companies, cities, and even governments around the world on innovation strategy. He has written many popular books and continues to express his knowledge on education.
Leadbeater decided to start off in Monkey Hill, Rio in one of the biggest slums in the country. There he met a boy who dropped out of school at the age of fourteen, started working in a business to make money, and the age of sixteen was completely running that business and hired over 1,000 people to work for him. By the time he would reach 24, he would be expected to be dead. Living in the slums means a high death rate of AIDS and the life expectancy is low. Out of a room full of kids, over half of them do not have parents, and the other half only has one parent because of this AIDS outbreak. Luckily, this same boy met a guy in Rio who had installed the first computers in classrooms for the children in Rio. Leadbeater says with education and technology, there is a chance for hope. This video also showed the computers that Sugata Mitra showed in his video from the beginning in this year. Leadbeater showed a room full of students learning on computers and how they are reinventing the slums, just like what is happening around the country. Leadbeater says that we need more reinventions to improve our schools. Our schools may look the same from the outside, but from the inside we need to push forward to new technology. He also says we need to encourage our students more. Students are not going to want to further their education if we are not their backbone.
This video taught me so much about the slums and the education there. I'm so glad that people like Charles Leadbeater had the chance to go over there and make a difference to people to who are less fortunate. Leadbeater had many great ideas to bring to Rio, and to classrooms today around the world.
Turning Trash into Toys for Learning: By Arvind Gupta Author: Douglas R. Jarvis Jr
Arvind Gupta takes us on a marvelous journey in his talk about using things we normally would simply toss away in order to provide interactive teaching tools for children. He provides examples of using rubber tubing and match sticks to create countless mathematical shapes that could be used to teach angles, geometry, engineering and so many other lessons. He shows us how to create pumps from bicycle tubes and straws and generators from batteries, magnets, and paperclips. His ingenuity is a prime example that even the poorest school system can find ways to provide children with hands on learning tools. We get so bogged down in worrying about how to afford fancy classroom supplies. However, what really matters is teaching your students in a way that captivates them. By using these inexpensive methods, you can allow students to have hands on interaction and really see why the science or math involved creates the desired effect. We can all learn from this method of education. Face it, many school systems are going to be reluctant or unwilling to provide us money for projects. As teachers we can use Mr. Gupta’s ideas to turn our trash into toys built by our students.
It has been proven time after time that people learn best from practical experience. Yet, so many teachers continue to take the learning out of the students hands and force them to endure tedious and unmotivating lectures. Imagine listening to a lecture on shapes in your geometry class; now instead use, the rubber tubing and match sticks and let your students build the shapes and explore the strengths and weaknesses of each shape while you discuss the lesson. The student is intrigued because he wants to learn how to make the more interesting ones and captivated when he gets to play with his creation. Learning can be fun, it does not have to be a chore. We all know what it is like to be watching the clock praying for the bell. So lets all fight against that and create classrooms that our students don’t want to leave. We dont have to have a lot of money, just the desire and drive to learn how to maximize the resources we have.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Project #15 Lesson Plan 3
Smartboard Jeopardy
This lesson plan is intended for twelfth grade history. One week is needed for preparation for this assignment. This lesson plan requires access to a Smartboard. Students will be divided into groups of four for this assignment. Each group is required to brainstorm and create their own questions that pertain to the the textbook or our class lectures. The questions that are chosen must be from the previous chapters we have discussed. This game is intended to better prepare students for their exam as well as evaluate their progress.
Lesson Plan 3-Kristie Bell
This lesson plan is intended for twelfth grade history. One week is needed for preparation for this assignment. This lesson plan requires access to a Smartboard. Students will be divided into groups of four for this assignment. Each group is required to brainstorm and create their own questions that pertain to the the textbook or our class lectures. The questions that are chosen must be from the previous chapters we have discussed. This game is intended to better prepare students for their exam as well as evaluate their progress.
Lesson Plan 3-Kristie Bell
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Blog Post #12
Author: Kristie Bell
In Ken Robinson’s video Changing Education on Paradigms he discusses how every country on the earth is reforming public education. We need to know how to educate our children to take their place in the 21st century economies. We need to educate our children so they have a cultural identity. Today, most children believe that just because you have a college degree does not mean you will be guaranteed a job, which is absolutely correct. The problem with our current learning system is that it was designed for a different age period. We must raise education standards because we are in the 21st century. Ken Robinson feels that our students cannot focus because we have so many technological tools, but they are not being put to use. Instead, teachers are using the same boring lesson plan that consists of lecturing. He states “ We are getting our children through education by anaesthetising them.” We are basically putting them to sleep because of boredom when we should be waking them up to what is inside themselves. Schools are made up of standardization and we need to move in the opposite direction from this. Schools need to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of creativity.
What can we learn from Sir Ken Robinson? We can learn so much from this inspirational man. Our students need to focus on being creative thinkers and unfortunately our education system only educates to be good workers. In our classrooms we will cultivate our students’ interest and energy. Ken Robinson teaches you not to educate students out of their creativity. We want to create unlimited possibilities in our classrooms and acknowledge each student’s talents. Mr. Robinson points out the importance of acknowledging your student’s talents because so many feel that if their talent does not fit into the education system’s classification then they are not considered intelligent. Our students should be unleashing their talents and discovering their culture identity in the world. Sir Ken Robinson really gave us a new outlook and his words could not be more true. We need to truly rethink our school systems and make our students feel alive again.
Author: Kynyetta Barren
In Sir Ken Robinson video, The Importance of Creativity he speaks at a conference about how education is killing creativity. He believes that creativity is as important as literacy. A lot of teachers just want their students to get the work done, pass a test, or do a project. Creativity should be encouraged in everything you do in the classroom. Ken tells us that “Education is meant to take you into a future that you can’t grasp.” What he means by this is no matter how much we learn we will never catch up to all the new advancements that are being made. He states that children in this generation are frightened of being wrong and we are the cause of that. It is the reason schools kills creativity. We agree that children are scared of being wrong. We are scared of being wrong at the work we do for classes. Since we have taken EDM310 we feel that creativity is very important because it opens your mind up to different things that are being used in the classrooms. As Ken Robinson stated, “If you are not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original.” We believe that education in schools is getting too caught up in the basics of teaching. Of course math, reading, writing, history are important, but what about the skills children show and use outside of the classroom. As educators, we can incorporate creativity into our lesson plans and promote students to use their creative minds! We could use smartboards, blogs, building projects, etc. Creativity involves breaking out of an established pattern in order to look at things in a different way. In our classroom we want our students to be creative and express themselves through art.
In Ken Robinson’s video Changing Education on Paradigms he discusses how every country on the earth is reforming public education. We need to know how to educate our children to take their place in the 21st century economies. We need to educate our children so they have a cultural identity. Today, most children believe that just because you have a college degree does not mean you will be guaranteed a job, which is absolutely correct. The problem with our current learning system is that it was designed for a different age period. We must raise education standards because we are in the 21st century. Ken Robinson feels that our students cannot focus because we have so many technological tools, but they are not being put to use. Instead, teachers are using the same boring lesson plan that consists of lecturing. He states “ We are getting our children through education by anaesthetising them.” We are basically putting them to sleep because of boredom when we should be waking them up to what is inside themselves. Schools are made up of standardization and we need to move in the opposite direction from this. Schools need to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of creativity.
What can we learn from Sir Ken Robinson? We can learn so much from this inspirational man. Our students need to focus on being creative thinkers and unfortunately our education system only educates to be good workers. In our classrooms we will cultivate our students’ interest and energy. Ken Robinson teaches you not to educate students out of their creativity. We want to create unlimited possibilities in our classrooms and acknowledge each student’s talents. Mr. Robinson points out the importance of acknowledging your student’s talents because so many feel that if their talent does not fit into the education system’s classification then they are not considered intelligent. Our students should be unleashing their talents and discovering their culture identity in the world. Sir Ken Robinson really gave us a new outlook and his words could not be more true. We need to truly rethink our school systems and make our students feel alive again.
Author: Kynyetta Barren
In Sir Ken Robinson video, The Importance of Creativity he speaks at a conference about how education is killing creativity. He believes that creativity is as important as literacy. A lot of teachers just want their students to get the work done, pass a test, or do a project. Creativity should be encouraged in everything you do in the classroom. Ken tells us that “Education is meant to take you into a future that you can’t grasp.” What he means by this is no matter how much we learn we will never catch up to all the new advancements that are being made. He states that children in this generation are frightened of being wrong and we are the cause of that. It is the reason schools kills creativity. We agree that children are scared of being wrong. We are scared of being wrong at the work we do for classes. Since we have taken EDM310 we feel that creativity is very important because it opens your mind up to different things that are being used in the classrooms. As Ken Robinson stated, “If you are not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original.” We believe that education in schools is getting too caught up in the basics of teaching. Of course math, reading, writing, history are important, but what about the skills children show and use outside of the classroom. As educators, we can incorporate creativity into our lesson plans and promote students to use their creative minds! We could use smartboards, blogs, building projects, etc. Creativity involves breaking out of an established pattern in order to look at things in a different way. In our classroom we want our students to be creative and express themselves through art.
By Douglas R. Jarvis Jr.
Sir Ken Robinson delivered a wonderful commentary on education at a TED Talk in April of 2013. He discussed the irony of the legislation we call “no child left behind”. So what is ironic about this legislation? The dropout rate in some of our states approaches 60% and in Native American communities, it can grow as high as 80% ! So the irony is that we have created a system that leaves the majority of our children behind. Sir Robinson believes that we must first recognize that each child is an individual. No one method of teaching will ever be able to reach the learning personalities of every student. America has tried to standardize education to the degree that teachers struggle to be able to use their own creativity to develop lessons that inspire and capture the curiosity of a student. Sir Robinson made the point that children are naturally curious and it is quite an accomplishment to extinguish that. So why do we bogg down in standardized testing and allowing a room full of politicians to decide the best way for children to learn? Is it not the teacher and the school that facilitate learning? I completely agree with this assessment. To really change the dropout rate in this country, we have to return the teacher’s power to decide how to best reach his/her students. We need to allow the administrators in the schools to determine the effectiveness of the method a teacher may choose to use because they too are educators. As teachers, we must take this responsibility very seriously and not just try to teach information. We must encourage, counsel, advise , and be involved with the well being of each of our students. I believe every child has a gift and that it is our job to help him find it. Not every child is meant for the University but, that does not mean he can not be successful. Vocations provide the backbone of our nation and we are reaching a dangerous deficit of skilled workers in this country. Last year, I attended Alabama Community College System Governor’s Breakfast in Montgomery, Alabama as an ambassador from Bishop State. Dr Bentley expressed his concern that six million skilled jobs are unfilled in this country due to the lack of qualified workers. The kids are dropping out because they are discouraged and being treated as second class because they are not scholastically gifted. That is a crime! while I am proud of those gifted students as well we simply can not turn our back on a student because he can not score a 30 on the ACT. When we as teachers take the time to encourage our students and let them feel proud of themselves we give fuel to the student to keep fighting. So lets all find a way to reach our students and remember they are different but, they all deserve our best. Death Valley is the driest place in the U.S. Life is very scarce there and yet a few years ago with a rain system dropping seven inches of moisture onto the desert floor, flowers bloomed and blanketed a desert in green. This is a beautiful metaphor for our education system. If we rain support, creativity, and encouragement on our students we can cut the dropout rate and help every student blossom.
SEE THE DIFFERENCE!
SEE THE DIFFERENCE!Sunday, November 3, 2013
C4K Summary Post (October)
C4K #1
My student I was assigned was enrolled in an online AP Government course and her blog was called A Unique Perspective on the Past, Present, & Future. In her post she talks about how her class has covered topics ranging from the Constitution and Declaration of Independence to the conflict in Syria. She mentions how important it is to understand the significance and purpose of these documents. She states, "The Constitution and Declaration of Independence is essential because they are the basis of American government." In her post she informs her readers that she loves classes such as these, because they incorporate current events. She leaves off her post with a personal statement about herself that says she plan on majoring in political science in college and her ultimate goal is to become a lawyer.
I commented on her post saying that I really enjoyed reading her blog post especially since I am a history major. She certainly gave me a deeper insight with her informative post. I agree completely about how more people need to understand the purpose and significance of these documents. I can tell she is really passionate about this class and that she will have fun learning about this subject. I also like that she is so concerned about her future and it sounds like she is on the path to success.
C4K #2
I was assigned to the student Lillian in Mrs. Hartooni's seventh grade science class. In her blog post My First Day of School she talks about how nervous she was walking into her first period class. She started to feel a little better after she realized her friend was in the same class. Her science class turned out to be a great experience because she finds this subject to be very interesting. Lillian's first day of school turned out to be a huge success and she was no longer nervous anymore.
I commented on her post and said that I enjoyed reading her post! I believe everyone can relate to her post about being nervous on the first day of school. I am in college and I still get nervous about the first day each semester. I always feel better after I get settled into my new classes and see some familiar faces. I think it is awesome that you love learning about new and interesting things! Keep up the great work and attitude because it will help you succeed in life.
C4K #3
I was assigned to Reety in Mr. So's second grade class and her blog was called My Hero Is My Mom. In her post she discusses that a hero is someone that is always by your side to rescue you. Reety says this is why she chose her mom as her hero because she saves her all the time. She talks about how her mom can always turn her frown into smile when she is feeling down. Reety says her mom is the best hero ever and she will never change her choice.
I commented on her post saying that I loved reading your blog post. My mom is definitely my hero too and I look up to her so much. Mother’s are great heroes to have and they are always there to help us! Your post was very heartwarming and it sounds like you have a wonderful mom! Keep up the awesome work Reety!
C4K #4
I was assigned to Dayton in Mrs. Geldes's fourth grade class and his blog post was called the The Unwanted. In his blog post he told a story from a pumpkin's point of view and it was very funny. He talked about being the pumpkin who was picked last and once he was finally chosen he was excited. However, the pumpkin's excitement did not last long when he figured out that he was going to be carved like the other pumpkins. He says after the pumpkin dies he becomes the headless horse man and comes back to haunt the people who carve pumpkins.
I commented on his post saying that it was very funny and I enjoyed reading it. He has an awesome imagination which is wonderful for telling stories. I really love Halloween so this was a great topic to write about. Keep up the creative work Dayton!
My student I was assigned was enrolled in an online AP Government course and her blog was called A Unique Perspective on the Past, Present, & Future. In her post she talks about how her class has covered topics ranging from the Constitution and Declaration of Independence to the conflict in Syria. She mentions how important it is to understand the significance and purpose of these documents. She states, "The Constitution and Declaration of Independence is essential because they are the basis of American government." In her post she informs her readers that she loves classes such as these, because they incorporate current events. She leaves off her post with a personal statement about herself that says she plan on majoring in political science in college and her ultimate goal is to become a lawyer.
I commented on her post saying that I really enjoyed reading her blog post especially since I am a history major. She certainly gave me a deeper insight with her informative post. I agree completely about how more people need to understand the purpose and significance of these documents. I can tell she is really passionate about this class and that she will have fun learning about this subject. I also like that she is so concerned about her future and it sounds like she is on the path to success.
C4K #2
I was assigned to the student Lillian in Mrs. Hartooni's seventh grade science class. In her blog post My First Day of School she talks about how nervous she was walking into her first period class. She started to feel a little better after she realized her friend was in the same class. Her science class turned out to be a great experience because she finds this subject to be very interesting. Lillian's first day of school turned out to be a huge success and she was no longer nervous anymore.
I commented on her post and said that I enjoyed reading her post! I believe everyone can relate to her post about being nervous on the first day of school. I am in college and I still get nervous about the first day each semester. I always feel better after I get settled into my new classes and see some familiar faces. I think it is awesome that you love learning about new and interesting things! Keep up the great work and attitude because it will help you succeed in life.
C4K #3
I was assigned to Reety in Mr. So's second grade class and her blog was called My Hero Is My Mom. In her post she discusses that a hero is someone that is always by your side to rescue you. Reety says this is why she chose her mom as her hero because she saves her all the time. She talks about how her mom can always turn her frown into smile when she is feeling down. Reety says her mom is the best hero ever and she will never change her choice.
I commented on her post saying that I loved reading your blog post. My mom is definitely my hero too and I look up to her so much. Mother’s are great heroes to have and they are always there to help us! Your post was very heartwarming and it sounds like you have a wonderful mom! Keep up the awesome work Reety!
C4K #4
I was assigned to Dayton in Mrs. Geldes's fourth grade class and his blog post was called the The Unwanted. In his blog post he told a story from a pumpkin's point of view and it was very funny. He talked about being the pumpkin who was picked last and once he was finally chosen he was excited. However, the pumpkin's excitement did not last long when he figured out that he was going to be carved like the other pumpkins. He says after the pumpkin dies he becomes the headless horse man and comes back to haunt the people who carve pumpkins.
I commented on his post saying that it was very funny and I enjoyed reading it. He has an awesome imagination which is wonderful for telling stories. I really love Halloween so this was a great topic to write about. Keep up the creative work Dayton!
C4T #3
C4T #1
In Bill Ferriter's blog called False-Transparency and the Airport Princess he discusses the simplistic misconceptions that some people have about teaching. Many people think that teacher's only roles in the classroom is to teach and nothing else matters. Most people fail to realize that being an educator is not an easy profession. These one-sided views are called "False-Transparency." It is easy to think that teachers are overpaid if you think that the only time their working is when their standing in front of a class. However, this is not the case because being an educator means working around the clock always. Educators are always having to plan their lessons while off the clock. Teachers always have to make assessments and feedback for each individual student as well. Some people do not understand how hard it is to teach and as educators it is our challenge to show them. We need to pull back the curtains and show the behind scenes of what is going on when we are not standing in front of our students.
I commented on his post saying that he did a great job and definitely caught my attention. False-transparency is something we have all dealt with in our lives and the misconception about teachers is well known. Honestly, I can say that I did not realize how much work teachers do around the clock until I started college three years ago. My education classes have really taught me about the hard work that goes into being an educator. I hope that more people will realize that teachers play an important role and do more than simply teach. I believe if educators could demonstrate what goes on behind the scenes people would actually realize teachers are underpaid. Overall, this was one of my favorite blog posts and I found it to be very interesting.
C4T #2
In Bill Ferriter's post New #Edtech Tool Review:Using Canva to Teach Visual Influence he discusses how the graphic design site Canva caught his attention. We are living in a world where pictures and videos are becoming primary for capturing attention so it only makes sense to incorporate them in the classroom. Canva is a tool that makes design simple for everyone. It provides access to thousands of engaging graphics that can be dragged and dropped into place on templates and layouts customized for everything from blog graphics and Facebook headers to flyers, posters, and PowerPoint Presentations. The only issue is that Canva is currently in beta testing. Bill ends his post saying "My hope is that they will recognize schools as a valuable marketplace worth serving and customize a product and pricing line that will meet the needs of teachers and students."
I commented on his post and said that this is a great tool to use in the classroom. Technology is a great resource to incorporate into lesson plans. I really like that you choose a visual design site that is very simple and easy to use! Most graphic design sites are just way too complicated and really do leave you bogged down. Hopefully, they will recognize schools as a valuable marketplace because this would be a beneficial tool for educators. Overall, your post was very informative and I am glad that I had a chance to learn about this interesting tool!
In Bill Ferriter's blog called False-Transparency and the Airport Princess he discusses the simplistic misconceptions that some people have about teaching. Many people think that teacher's only roles in the classroom is to teach and nothing else matters. Most people fail to realize that being an educator is not an easy profession. These one-sided views are called "False-Transparency." It is easy to think that teachers are overpaid if you think that the only time their working is when their standing in front of a class. However, this is not the case because being an educator means working around the clock always. Educators are always having to plan their lessons while off the clock. Teachers always have to make assessments and feedback for each individual student as well. Some people do not understand how hard it is to teach and as educators it is our challenge to show them. We need to pull back the curtains and show the behind scenes of what is going on when we are not standing in front of our students.
I commented on his post saying that he did a great job and definitely caught my attention. False-transparency is something we have all dealt with in our lives and the misconception about teachers is well known. Honestly, I can say that I did not realize how much work teachers do around the clock until I started college three years ago. My education classes have really taught me about the hard work that goes into being an educator. I hope that more people will realize that teachers play an important role and do more than simply teach. I believe if educators could demonstrate what goes on behind the scenes people would actually realize teachers are underpaid. Overall, this was one of my favorite blog posts and I found it to be very interesting.
C4T #2
In Bill Ferriter's post New #Edtech Tool Review:Using Canva to Teach Visual Influence he discusses how the graphic design site Canva caught his attention. We are living in a world where pictures and videos are becoming primary for capturing attention so it only makes sense to incorporate them in the classroom. Canva is a tool that makes design simple for everyone. It provides access to thousands of engaging graphics that can be dragged and dropped into place on templates and layouts customized for everything from blog graphics and Facebook headers to flyers, posters, and PowerPoint Presentations. The only issue is that Canva is currently in beta testing. Bill ends his post saying "My hope is that they will recognize schools as a valuable marketplace worth serving and customize a product and pricing line that will meet the needs of teachers and students."
I commented on his post and said that this is a great tool to use in the classroom. Technology is a great resource to incorporate into lesson plans. I really like that you choose a visual design site that is very simple and easy to use! Most graphic design sites are just way too complicated and really do leave you bogged down. Hopefully, they will recognize schools as a valuable marketplace because this would be a beneficial tool for educators. Overall, your post was very informative and I am glad that I had a chance to learn about this interesting tool!
Blog Post #11
Ms. Cassidy’s Approach to the Use of Technology in the Classroom
For this week's blog post Dr. Strange required our EDM310 class to watch a few videos regarding Ms. Cassidy's approach to the use of technology in the classroom. The first video talks about how her students use technological tools in the classroom. The other videos consisted of a three-part interview with Dr. Strange and Ms. Cassidy. Dr. Strange's EDM310 class is also part of the interview as well. They discuss many topics pertaining to technology in the classroom.
In Ms. Cassidy's video called Little Kids...Big Potential her first graders use blogs, webpages, wikis, video, Skype and Nintendo DS to share, collaborate and learn in their classroom. I was completely shocked after watching these first graders and learning how technologically literate they were. This was absolutely amazing because when I was in first grade I did not have this advantage. These children were so excited about blogging and becoming better writers. They were educated on how to properly comment on other people's blogs and knew not to say mean things. They even used skype to talk to other classrooms and experts. Ms. Cassidy's class is an amazing example on how to use technology successfully in your classroom. This inspiring video made me realize as a future educator I have to always incorporate new teaching techniques in my lesson plans and take advantage of technology.
Interview with Kathy Cassidy Part I
The first interview video I watched talked about how Ms. Cassidy got so involved into technology. She said ten years ago she was given five computers in her classroom and she started on her technology journey. She was able to get some release time and funding to assist her in this journey. She started to work on web pages and get involved in blogging. Her journey turned out to be a wonderful success because she now has a tremendous support system behind her. Ms. Cassidy states, "Technology is not going to go away, it is here to stay." She believes that every teacher needs to be technological literate to be adequate for students. She leaves off with the statement that "We have to keep learning." We have to stay in touch with technology and find out what way works best for us.
Interview with Kathy Cassidy Part II
In the second interviews Ms. Cassidy tells people where to begin with technology. She says to begin with what your interested in. For example, if videos interest you then sign up for a youtube account. Everybody is different and their is no specific method to follow. You simply have to find out what way works best for you and keep exploring till you find that method.
Interview with Kathy Cassidy Part III
The last interview video that I watched involved the EDM310 students asking Ms. Cassidy questions. One of the first questions was asked by a physical ed major who asked, "How often do you use blogging in your classroom?" She answers by saying it depends on the time of year, but typically twice a week. Another question was "Do you fear that access to the internet increases cheating?" Ms. Cassidy said she does not feel like this is an issue. She says the educator needs to ask specific questions so cheating is not possible. However, she also states that the internet helps you to collaborate and "piggy-back" off of others work. This is not cheating and is actually beneficial. The questions that the students asked were great and Ms. Cassidy answered them very efficiently.
After watching each individual video I really learned a lot from Ms. Cassidy. She really puts a lot of time and effort into her lesson plans for her students. Being an educator is not always easy, but it is well worth it. She really makes a great point when she states that technology is never going away and we need to learn how to use it. This statement could not be more true and she does a great job in her classroom. I still cannot get over how much her students use technology and they are only first graders. Ms. Cassidy is a very motivational person and her hard work clearly inspires education systems worldwide. I look forward to using technology in my classroom and I will definitely be a blogging teacher. I want to allow my students to sample as many technological tools as possible. I want my students to be technologically literate so they will be better prepared for the real world.
For this week's blog post Dr. Strange required our EDM310 class to watch a few videos regarding Ms. Cassidy's approach to the use of technology in the classroom. The first video talks about how her students use technological tools in the classroom. The other videos consisted of a three-part interview with Dr. Strange and Ms. Cassidy. Dr. Strange's EDM310 class is also part of the interview as well. They discuss many topics pertaining to technology in the classroom.
In Ms. Cassidy's video called Little Kids...Big Potential her first graders use blogs, webpages, wikis, video, Skype and Nintendo DS to share, collaborate and learn in their classroom. I was completely shocked after watching these first graders and learning how technologically literate they were. This was absolutely amazing because when I was in first grade I did not have this advantage. These children were so excited about blogging and becoming better writers. They were educated on how to properly comment on other people's blogs and knew not to say mean things. They even used skype to talk to other classrooms and experts. Ms. Cassidy's class is an amazing example on how to use technology successfully in your classroom. This inspiring video made me realize as a future educator I have to always incorporate new teaching techniques in my lesson plans and take advantage of technology.
Interview with Kathy Cassidy Part I
The first interview video I watched talked about how Ms. Cassidy got so involved into technology. She said ten years ago she was given five computers in her classroom and she started on her technology journey. She was able to get some release time and funding to assist her in this journey. She started to work on web pages and get involved in blogging. Her journey turned out to be a wonderful success because she now has a tremendous support system behind her. Ms. Cassidy states, "Technology is not going to go away, it is here to stay." She believes that every teacher needs to be technological literate to be adequate for students. She leaves off with the statement that "We have to keep learning." We have to stay in touch with technology and find out what way works best for us.
Interview with Kathy Cassidy Part II
In the second interviews Ms. Cassidy tells people where to begin with technology. She says to begin with what your interested in. For example, if videos interest you then sign up for a youtube account. Everybody is different and their is no specific method to follow. You simply have to find out what way works best for you and keep exploring till you find that method.
Interview with Kathy Cassidy Part III
The last interview video that I watched involved the EDM310 students asking Ms. Cassidy questions. One of the first questions was asked by a physical ed major who asked, "How often do you use blogging in your classroom?" She answers by saying it depends on the time of year, but typically twice a week. Another question was "Do you fear that access to the internet increases cheating?" Ms. Cassidy said she does not feel like this is an issue. She says the educator needs to ask specific questions so cheating is not possible. However, she also states that the internet helps you to collaborate and "piggy-back" off of others work. This is not cheating and is actually beneficial. The questions that the students asked were great and Ms. Cassidy answered them very efficiently.
After watching each individual video I really learned a lot from Ms. Cassidy. She really puts a lot of time and effort into her lesson plans for her students. Being an educator is not always easy, but it is well worth it. She really makes a great point when she states that technology is never going away and we need to learn how to use it. This statement could not be more true and she does a great job in her classroom. I still cannot get over how much her students use technology and they are only first graders. Ms. Cassidy is a very motivational person and her hard work clearly inspires education systems worldwide. I look forward to using technology in my classroom and I will definitely be a blogging teacher. I want to allow my students to sample as many technological tools as possible. I want my students to be technologically literate so they will be better prepared for the real world.
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