PLN Progress Report

I started using symbaloo, and I love it. All of  my favorite sites are at my fingertips, and  you have room to add more. I wish I would have known about Symbaloo a long time ago. This site is useful for so many things, and it's so easy that anyone can have one.  

Project 15

Blog Assignment #9

I read Mr. McClung's last two posts, What I've Learned This Year (2010-2011) and What I've Learned This Year (2011-2012). I really enjoyed reading about what he has learned the last two years. Starting his third year he had a lot of changes and new experiences. This was his first time being a head coach, coaching cross country, and teaching a computer applications class. One of the things I learned from Mr. McClung is that he does not like falling into the same routine, and he likes to be creative.

 As a teacher he found himself doing a lot of people pleasing. it's very easy to get wrapped up in keeping everyone happy, and worrying about what they think of you. His point is; you have to remember the reason you started teaching is for the kids.  The students always need to be your primary focus. As future educators we should keep that in mind, the students best interest should always be top priority. I often find myself guilty of trying to fit in with others or worrying about what someone else thinks. It gets very tiring and I have realized that you will not please everyone and as long as your doing the best you can do, then that is all that matters.

Another important fact is when you are teaching do not take over the task. It is easy to take over and do most of the work . The problem with that is they will never fully master the skills, and it will teach them to be dependent on others. EDM310 is a perfect example of what Mr. McClung is talking about. If Dr. Strange or the lab assistants fixed our problems every time we got stuck, then we would not learn anything from this class. It's about learning patience and giving them room to grow. 

In his second blog post, Mr. McClung's topics is defining yourself as a teacher, and challenging yourself. This year marked the third year that he worked for the same school and taught the same subject. If you get settled in the same routine, then you get comfortable. It's about setting the bar high and making room for change. I am guilty of not liking changes, but change is not always a bad thing. If you don't make changes you could get to comfortable and everything becomes boring. 

Blog Assignment #8

This is How We Dream, Parts 1&2:           

In this video, Dr. Richard Miller gave a presentation on how technology is being used and how it could be used in teaching. Technology is getting more advanced every day, and it opens the doors for endless possibilities. Dr. Miller talks about paper and pens being eliminated and having the students complete all work online. There has been some college classes going green (including this one), but it is not so common in high school classes and younger. Not only has our writing changed from paper to desktop, but the way we research has moved from the library to the Internet. Using the Internet we have so much information at the click of a mouse.

Although the idea of eliminating paper and pen can seem overwhelming, it has many positive things to go along with it. There is an infinite amount of knowledge and only so much you can gain from the library. Researching the Internet opens the doors to even more information. Even with all the good information, you can also get unreliable information on the Internet. With all this technology we have to learn how to sort out the good from the bad.

I really enjoyed Dr. Miller’s presentation. It was interesting to watch him demonstrate all the possibilities that technology allows. I feel that it is very important to keep up with all the changes in technology and one day being able to bring it into my classroom.

Carly's Post

Carly’s idea was very creative. Her post is well written and it grabs your attention as soon as you start reading it. She made a play list of things that interest her and put them on a You Tube video. It’s a great way to use your mind and find out what really grabs your interest. I hope when I start teaching I can encourage my students to be creative and keep them motivated. I agree with Carly that you have to give kids a push to make them think and help them reach their full potential. When you work hard the world is full of endless possibilities that can open the door to many great things.

The Chipper Series and EDM 310 for Dummies  

I really enjoyed watching the videos. I felt like I could completely relate to how frustrated the girls were in the beginning of the video. The first couple of weeks of EDM310 I was very overwhelmed and skeptical about how I was going to figure out these assignments. Eight weeks later I have  a lot more self confidence in myself and I am finding that the class gets a little easier each week. The best part is I am learning how to do so much more.

If I had to make a video on EDM 310, I'd want to make a How to survive EDM 310 video. I would call it how to survive EDM 310 in five easy steps. I would give advice about blogs, projects, asking for help, and not waiting to the last minute to submit your work.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn  

The video started out by saying that education ranked lower than coal mining. Education has changed so much, and change is necessary to thrive in our environment. Children are more stimulated outside the classroom than they are inside the classroom. Email, social networking, and instant messaging is banned from schools, when technology is what stimulates these children. The purpose of going to school is to learn, and it is our job to teach them. It should be included in schools, so when they get to college classes like EDM310 wouldn't be so overwhelming. 

Scavenger Hunt 2.0

Using Discovery Education Web 2.0, we were assigned to do a scavenger hunt. Here is what I found;

1) We were asked to locate a tool that is similar to Twitter/Facebook and provides social platform for teachers, parents, and students. The website I found is Edmodo.com. Using Edmodo the teacher can post assignments, communicate with parents, students, and other teachers. If the student is out, or the parent is wanting to check and make sure their homework is completed they can check the teachers page. Parents can also check grades on Edmodo, so my opinion is that this is a very useful website, and the best part is it's free.

2) The second was to find a video tool that you have never used. The one that I found and really liked was Photopeach.com. it lets you upload pictures, embed them into your blogs, and create slideshows. I think it's really an awesome website.


3) The third tool I found was how to create a poll anytime or anywhere.



Poll Everywhere

Ms. Siwak's Post

Week 1

While reading her  post her title was "One of My Great Teachers is Reaching the End of The Line." Her post was talking about her dad. He had decided that he was done with dialysis and pain. He was finished fighting and decided that he did not have anything left. She talks about her childhood and all the things she learned from her dad. Her dad was a very hard worker and spent his life making sure his family was taken care of. She realized how much she learned from him, and it's very clear how much he means to her. As she grew up she appreciated the man she called her father.

Week 2

She did not write a blog, instead did a tribute to her father. He passed away on October 7, 2012. She posted pictures that told a story of his life. It started when he was young and ended when he was an older man. It was very clear she loved her dad, and was thankful to have him in her life.

Timetoast 9B

Blog Assignment #7

The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler was a very interesting video to watch. It was about a student who doesn't attend a regular school, he goes to class 3 days a week, and 2 online. This type of education is called connectivism. Connectivism is the theory of learning from social connection and ties. A lot of what the student learns is from researching the Internet, and it teaches the student to take control of their learning. The student looks up articles about psychology and writes his own opinion about what he is learning. With this type of learning the student can find information about any topic any time of day.

While watching this video, it makes me wonder what is the teacher's role? If the student gets stuck, or if they come across articles that have a bunch of different opinions. The teacher can help the student sort out the correct information, and help the student find better information on the topic. This type of learning lets the student learn at their own pace, and not sit and follow boring lectures. With all the technology available the student can access lectures from schools such as Cambridge, and Berkley.

Even though this method teaches the students to be more independent with their learning, the students still need teachers. Aside from helping students as needed, they are also responsible for teaching them proper online communication, and organizational skills. If the students don't learn how to do this the correct way, they can't communicate properly with other students. I like the idea of networking and I feel that know matter what technology you throw into the classroom, there will always be a need for teachers

A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Enviroment (or PLN)

I found this video so neat. The student's have so many buttons on their computers. The buttons will take you to so many places, and you can research so many things. I like how it keeps track of where the student gets their information so they can receive credit for their work. It teaches student's responsibility and gives them the knowledge they need at their fingertips. The freedom to explore gives them the chance to find out things on their own.

Project 8

September Summaries

On September 23 I read Te Puawai's blog.Te Puawai is a student from Pt. England School, and  he wrote about two famous men named Tai and Brook who come to their school  every Thursday to  play basketball. The students really enjoyed having Tai and Brook come to the school and play basketball with them. It just goes to show it's the little things that count,and all kids need is someone to look up to.

On September 30 I read Tames blog. Tame is also a student at Pt. England School, and he wrote about going to the beach. While at the beach he is in the water and got scared when he saw a shark. clearly his story is fiction, but he did a great job using his imagination.  I really enjoyed reading the student's blogs. They both did a really good job.

Blog Post 6

The Last Lecture

Randy Pausch’s last lecture was amazing. This lecture was titled his last because Randy found out that his cancer had returned and he had approximately ten tumors on his liver. The doctors gave him an estimated time span of three to six months of good health. One of the first things he discusses is that this is something he can’t change, and he is making every moment count. One of his quotes is “you can’t control the cards your dealt, just how you play the hand.” I truly feel that Randy Paush was an extraordinary person and on July 25, 2008, Many people suffered a tremendous loss. He had such a positive energy, and had so much wisdom. You don't often meet many people like Dr. Pausch and he is someone that is not easily forgotten.

Next, Dr. Pausch talks about his childhood dreams and how his dreams molded him into the person he become. When you let a child dream, it can open the door to help them achieve greatness and other goals above what they expected. They might not achieve all their dreams, and that is ok. I want to teach students that it’s very important to go after what you believe in and no matter what, you have to work hard to achieve your dreams.  Another important thing is Fundamentals. You have to  know the basics before you can move on to the "big stuff".                            
                                     

I want to be the teacher that my students consider fun, and can't wait to get to school. I know from my own experience I retain less information when I am sitting listening to a boring lecture. You have to find ways to liven things up.You have to keep things interesting and keep the students interest alive. I believe children retain more information, when they are having fun, and interested in what they are doing. As Dr. Pausch said Life should be fun, and ask yourself, Do you want to be Tigger, or Eeyore?

In his lecture he finds it important not to set specific bar for his students to reach. He advised that if you do not set a bar, then the students would go above and beyond your expectations. Another piece of advice in his lecture was, “brick walls are there for a reason, not to keep us out, but to prove how much you want something.” I hope to be able to have that positive influence on my future students that Dr. Pausch had on his. I want to teach my students that you don't give up, you just work harder. Another valuable quote is"experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted". Everyone experiences this at some point in their life, you think at the time that is what you really wanted, but it doesn't happen. Most of us don't see it at the time but it can turn out to be a good thing, because it is opening the door for something better.

Timeline 9A