Blog Post #4

Langwitches: 1st Graders Create a Read along Book

Mrs. Lobster’s first grade class does not just read out of a book, her students develop a creative way to read. With the help of Silvia Tolisano, the children turn an ordinary school book into a fun learning experience. The students use podcast to create audio script books, with the guidance of their teachers. While podcasting, the classmates go back and forth reading their parts. They create different sounds to give the script a real life effect. Podcasting gives a new way to interact while learning. It keeps the student’s attention, plus their minds open to new ideas.

I enjoyed listening to the podcast online, in addition to reading with Mrs. Lobster’s class. I am defiantly going to get my students to read with podcast. By starting off with an example, I will slowly have my student’s work their way into creating their own podcast. Podcast is wonderful way to bring creativity into a classroom, and for students to express themselves.

The Benefits of Podcasting in a Classroom

Another resource about podcasting was posted by Joe Dale, “The Benefits of Podcasting in a Classroom”. The source, followed by a clip, gives public detail on the advantages of podcasting in a classroom. Podcasting can be helpful for students who did not attend class. The teacher can post a podcast online going over what the students missed for the day. Part of the clip features also Mr. Dell and his sixth grade class. He created a podcast, with the help of other administrators, from a scene in the book his class had currently read. The administrators really gave the podcast character by acting out their parts. Most of his students really enjoyed the podcast, some were even eager to start their own. Mr. Dell made a positive impact on his students presenting podcast into their learning.

Joe Dale’s site was well informative on developing podcasting into a classroom setting. I saw a different ways to podcast then just reading and creating; I saw podcasting as a character telling a story. His post included tips on podcasting, directly underneath the video clip. I will be using his helpful tips for my podcast with my group.

Judy’s Scharf Podcast Collection

Last, resource I read was, “Judy’s Scharf Podcast Collection”. Her site consisted on how to podcast, ways to start a podcast, plus other podcast resourceful information; she has printable handouts that can be used in classroom for each of these criteria’s. The handouts are available to save and download for later practices. She gives podcast topics followed by a time schedule to make a podcast. When I began to help my student’s podcast I will look back at Judy’s collection to make sure I am on the right track.

I think all three sources gave me a brighter idea of podcasting. Podcasting is a great way to learn, and I agree how it can make class more active while learning. I will take the knowledge I learned from each source to help with my group’s podcast. First, we will set a timely matter schedule for our podcast. Next, with determination, we will come together as a team and put all of our ideas into the podcast. By coming together as a team, and with hard work we can produce a great podcast. Our podcast will have a twist; by twist I mean, to add personality in the characters. If all works out, we can produce a great podcast that keeps the viewers attention. I am excited to see what we come up with in the end as a team.

Teacher Summary Assignment for September 2012

Justin Tarte: Positivity August 27th, 2012

The best teacher is a positive teacher. A teacher who pushes their students in a positive direction, is a good educator. A positive teacher is one thing I got out of Justin Tarte’s blog post, “The Power of Positivity”. The post consisted of three links: Nikki the Giraffe, Fourteen Simple Strategies to Be More Positive, and The Positive Teacher Pledge. While reading the reflection about “Nikki the Giraffe”, by Gene Ramsey, I asked myself “What is a true teacher?”. With time and patience, Nikki grew a connection with her students. Occasionally she would get aggravated, but she never gave up hope in her students. Nikki would not allow her students to see her negative energy and made certain all her students stayed positive independent learner. Indeed, Nikki was a true teacher.

Next, I read the link “The Fourteen Simple Strategies to Be More Positive” by Jon Gordon. His website compared positive and negative energy. To gain more out of life you must feed more into positive energy, than negative. Part of the Fourteen Strategies shows ways to turn negative outcomes into positive ones. Mr. Gordon gives advice on how to become a positive person, in his post as well.

Last link was “The Positive Teacher Pledge”, also published by Mr. Gordon. A pledge is described as a vow. This pledge was to be a positive educator , followed by certain conditions. One vows what they will do in a situation, instead of being negative, to stay positive. When something goes wrong one must look on the bright side not the dark side. To always be a positive teacher one has to encourage, not only their self, but the students too. At the end one can sign the pledge if he or she wishes to.

My comment on Justin Tarte’s blog describes how I felt for each link he provided. My favorite link was “Nikki the Giraffe ”; the story reminded me of a teacher I met on the search for my career choice. I did sign The Positive Teacher Pledge because, I want to be a strong teacher for my students. I briefly commented on, “The Fourteen Simple Strategies to Be More Positive”. It compares somewhat to the pledge, most likely due to the fact that both were written by Joe Dale.

Justin Tarte: Increasing Rigors in School September 17th, 2012

Justin’s blog post provided resourceful information about what rigor is, and how it should be used in a classroom. He defines rigor as, “Supporting our students so that they can learn at high levels.” He also states that without the help of a teacher, to actually support the students, achieving any high level of education is pointless. You cannot expect students to just learn only through assignments assigned to them; teachers must help them to understand what they are learning, for later usage in the world. How to increase rigor? Justin provides the visual steps it takes to increase rigor, but as well as a level diagram for knowledge. The steps to increase rigor are remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. The diagram, called “Depth of Knowledge Wheel”, separates into four levels of education: Level One-Recall, Level Two-Skill/Concept, Level Three-Strategic Thinking, and Level Four-Extended Thinking. Justin suggest changing to a higher level per week, for at least one activity, challenging the student’s knowledge. Giving more complex assignments does not help to challenge a student’s mind; the assignments will just become a priority for a grade. What will challenge a student is his or her reflection on what they have learned. All together Justin’s post is valuable for educators to read.

My comment briefly described what my opinion of rigor was, before I read his blog. My opinion of rigor was based off hard work is equal to a higher level of success. After reading his blog I understood the actual point of rigor, changing my first preference about it. I agreed with him about the ways to increase rigor and how I would like to use his approaches in a classroom setting. I will not supply my students with only busy work, in order for them to be successful. Instead, I will test my students mentally through the advanced levels in the diagram. At the end of my comment I thanked him for his post, plus I mentioned for him to visit my class blog.

Google Presentation

Blog Post #3

1. Peer Editing

What is peer editing? From the source, Peer Editing defines it as helping to improve someone else’s writing, falling under the same age group. The entire video went about the proper ways to peer edit another classmate’s work. There are three important steps, both listed in Peer Editing and Tutorial Peer Editing, on what to accomplish through the editing process. First step falls under compliment, second step is suggestions and third step is correction. All the steps are to help improve not only the writers work, but the editor’s skills too. The last video was very entertaining, Writing Peer Review Top Ten Mistakes. This particular video was an excellent presentation on making sure you do not do the top ten mistakes while editing a peer’s work. The students were 4th and 5th graders, who shared the presentation online.

All in all I learned to make sure to follow all three steps while in the process of peer editing. Starting with a compliment, to make sure my peer does not think I am attacking their work. Second I must give nicely stated suggestions, so they will know what needs to be fixed throughout their paper. Last, is to correct grammatical error, with the proper symbols. While going through these steps, as a teacher or editor, I must have a positive attitude; I do not want to become anyone of the ten children listed in, Writing Peer Review Top Ten Mistakes, arrangement; the video of those children acting out their parts, brightened up my day! I would recommend any students, who are beginning peer editing, to watch this video.


2. Stephanie Tyler (Fall 2011) Suggested Blog Assignment

A. Technology in Special Education
Lacey Cook informs us on how technology has helped so many students, especially in the Special Education department. She introduces the video starting with how some of her students are not able to talk or write and computers help them to do so. Technologies on the computers help the students to communicate with their teacher, and to gain a close relationship with the teacher. Her video shows how interactive her students are, with the aid of technology. They are all grateful to have such aid, without it they would feel miserable. It would be a lot harder for teachers to understand what their students need without their computers; it would be difficult for the students who have trouble speaking or writing to converse with the teacher. The students have joy on their faces when able to have technology in hand. She updates her students on new technology to help them learn.

Technology has changed the world; I wouldn’t have been able to see all these tutorials on YouTube with no usage of its existence. Nor could I be inform all of my readers what I am learning, if it was not for technology. More technology needs to be in a classroom to help grab student’s attention and make learning more fun. It could cause a distraction, but with the right set up for classrooms it gives them only what they need for the time. Technology is growing rapidly, and is pleasant to see it forming its way into Special Education classrooms.

The Special Education video, actually hit me on a personal level. I have an intelligent individual in my family who cannot speak, write, and let alone walk. He went to school every day, and I never quiet understood if his teachers taught him anything? Also, I am curious if they used any technology to help him learn, as in the video for special need students. I am not aware of these things, but I have seen a Special Education classroom; I did not see any use of technology in the classroom. I hope technical tools build in all the classrooms and are made mandatory for Special Educators to have.

B. The Help of the iPad for Children with Autism

The YouTube video tells a story about a little eight year old boy, Braden, who learns with the assistance of an iPad. As we all know there are apps for learning, math, science, reading, writing, art, and more. The particular applications, Braden’s parents provide is, math as well as grammar. Braden learns how to count using the Toddler Counting App; this app provides feedback with visual and sound to help him learn how to say the number he sees. Braden is able to write and learn how to spell with the help of the Writing Pad application. He is doing much better with an iPad than on paper.

It is hard for children like Braden, to focus on learning because of their condition. I feel Braden is more motivated at home, because he feels safe. Unlike school there can be a lot of pressure to learn. It is wonderful how far technology has come to not only help kids with autism, but in addition to other intelligent individual learners.

C. Harness Your Student’s Digital Smarts
A teacher located in southern part of Georgia connects her students to the world. Vicki Davis, in Harness Your Students’ Digital Smarts, helps her students learn about new technology. To have them create beyond their imagination, the students in her class are mostly dependent workers. They depend on the source of technology to brainstorm new ideas. She creates a happy environment in the classroom, and with resources her students are eager to learn. Vicki mentions, “With only a piece of paper and a pencil, only some students succeed”, which refers back to Special Education; not all students have the ability to write. She wants to make sure all her students get comfortable with old and new technology; learning does not always form around a paper and pencil.

Technology in computers seems new everyday when a new program comes out. Open to Sims, where the students learn how to teach other students to Terraform, is an interesting virtual program that is out in the world. The students are able to make avatars and move them about with other students around the world. Another source is Digi Teen, it is a way they can do online work through digital portals. Like blogging, everyone is able to see world wide the students work; this site includes researching, writing, and blogging for student’s usage. Being surrounded by four walls obviously does not stop others from traveling around the world.

Blog Post #2

1. Did You Know? 3.0 A Strange John 2012 Version

Professor Strange posted a video on YouTube called “Did You Know- 3.0?” based off an original version created by KarlFisch and Scott McLeod. This video includes statements and facts on the entire world that has changed through technology. Technology as in computers, internet, manufactures, cellular devices etc; the list could go on and on. It gives stats on IQ scores between India and the United States; with India having the highest IQ scores. It also states that the fluent English language is sky rocketing in the China population. All of which points back to learning, and how learning is growing through the help of technological information. Technology built from the roots of the human minds. Our logic and capabilities of technical information has grown excessively. We are all able to gain more and more knowledge. Years to come, technology will be the only way to learn in America.

In my opinion a computer has rebirth America. Things we are not always able to have can be accessed through a computer. Same when the automobile made history in America. America was able to travel paths to transport goods and services long distant. Technology is creating its own path throughout the world. It makes you think, what is next? What is the next big thing someone or something will create in this world that outnumbers what we already have? This video surprised me because, I never actually felt eager to know what we have created. When I got a cellular device I did not care to know who else, besides me in the world, was texting at that very moment in time. I am actually disappointed to hear about the United States downfall compared to the other countries. To about the United States having low scores, or more people outside of America can speak English than our own country, is sad. With more students focusing on texting or playing games on the computer the United States will always be ranking on the low scale of learning. Most of us know already, especially me, that we cannot be perfect. Not everything we learn we can remember, we can only do our best. Technology is replenishing us every day.



2. Mr. Winkle Wakes

“Mr. Winkle Wakes”, by Matthew Needleman, is a video cartoon an imagery of how Americas achievements. It shows an old man confused on the technology use today; however, that is because technology was not used in his time. Winkle woke up one hundred years later when everything around him had changed. People were working with computers, and printing files from printer; items of which Mr. Winkle never had seen before. It tells how amazed Mr. Winkle was that human kind created. Giving only a short description on what resources were built after he awoken. Mr. Winkle did like towards the end of the video, that learning was still a part of history.

This video was very funny to watch, because it is almost like some of the older generation today about new technology. Every time I try to get my grandfather to use his cellular he says, “This was not made back in my day. We did not need cell phones when I was young”. Everything is constantly changing throughout the world. In this video it only shows part of what has changed through a visualize image. I think there should be more of Mr. Winkle videos; good example to show to kids how the world is constantly developing around them.



3. Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

The video Ken Robinson Creativity unfolds the reason why creativity is important in the learning environment. He tells us that, “Creativity should be treated in the same way literacy should”, meaning creativity is a big factor for the future (Robinson). Being creative is a big part in childhood, and slowly disappears through the school educational system. Math, reading, writing, and science are the main roots for the education system; well why cannot dance, art, music, or anything we like to really do be the roots? It turns back to the universe. The universe sets rules for what they feel is necessary to live out in the world; rules becoming the learning system. “Children are told making a mistake is wrong. If you are not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original”, what Ken Robinson also mentions in his recording. Meaning to be wrong is not a bad thing, and is actually a part of being creative. To possibly make something that is not original you must think or be creative.

I did like his video personally. It was informative and humorous about education. He gave funny examples about his son, or the little girl who drew her image of god. His statements on intelligence, diverse, dynamic and distinct were a little confusing. He then had examples behind each of them giving me a clearer picture of the terms. One of his little story example included a woman by the name of Gillian Lynne, who had an issue of fidgeting in class. She went to a specialist, because everyone was concerned of her odd behavior. The specialist played some music and left her alone in the room. Gillian suddenly could not help, but to move her body to the music. Sir Ken Robinson confirmed in his video, “If she had not gone to the specialist about her condition, she would have been given a prescription and told to calm down”. In that case she never would have known she was meant to be a dancer.

The education system throws creativity out of the window only for certain courses and those are the mandatory courses. If everyone was allowed to do what they want as a young generation, there would be more opportunities in the future job wise. Now people need so many levels of education to get a job, making it harder to have a future.



4. Think about the FUTURE

As I was watching "A Day Made of Glass Two:Unpacked", I was stunned. For durable glass to be used as an everyday accessory is incredible. Some of the content shows kids Corning (durable glass) not only in a classroom, but for personal usage too. To see that much power in technology for the future just does not seem real to me. As I continued through the video, I grew out of shock. It appeared too good to be true. Not saying that we cannot actually produce Corning throughout the world; just, what use can it really be? How much would it cost us to make, durable glass, all over the world and what are the disadvantages of it failing?

To have only durable glass in a learning environment is distracting. What if something went wrong? If we become so reliable upon this, what is the backup plan if it fails? Something like Corning, I feel, is nice to have in a classroom, but should not be the everyday usage for learning. It would seem like entertainment, more than educational. As for higher levels of education or corporations to use it, like a hospital, than that is great.

All together the videos: Mr. Winkle, Did You Know, and A Day Made of Glass, were very informative. Some of the videos were surprising as others were creative on how we have been over the years. I enjoy new technology as long as it is beneficial, but not so much if it disrupts a classroom for younger learners. Of course I would have enjoyed sensitive to the touch durable glass when I was young. Nevertheless, durable glass could become hard on some children. Children who already have a tough time trying to stay focus in class. Always keep the future in mind, but know that all schools do not run the same as others; especially schools showed for advertisement.

My Wordle Project #2

Blog Post #1

Me, Myself, and I
Before I start blogging about managing time, professor Strange wanted us to post a little information about ourselves. First off my name is Jazmin, and I just recently transferred to the University of South Alabama. I was born and raised in Colorado, and decided I wanted to try something new, so I came to USA. Surprisingly to others around Mobile, they question my decision. The biggest reason why I moved to Alabama was the cost. My In-State tuition in Colorado was around twenty two thousand dollars a year. At the University of South Alabama it is almost equal to the Out of State tuition. This tuition is a major difference for me, being that I came out from Colorado.

My major is Elementary Education at this time. I decided this specific major based on what I knew and enjoyed most. I enjoy being around children, and helping them whenever I am able too. I wanted to give back to the community that has helped me get to where I am today. All majors can change, but I know either way I go I am going to help others.

What things I like to do on my spare time besides hang out with friends are, knit, crochet, sew, workout, bowl, and other little things. I am a very outgoing person and I enjoy hanging out with a diverse group of people. I am the type of person who likes to speak whatever is on my mind and not shy to state my opinion. There are so many ways to describe myself, but too many to list. I suggest just if one is ever curious of knowing who I am, come talk to me

Randy Pausch on Time Management
After watching Dr.Pausch’s video, “Time Management”, I learned only a few new things on how to manage my time. Some people already know how to set goals and make a list to follow through with those goals. What I need to consider this years is his statement, “Doing things right, is not the same as doing the right things”. I know I cannot do things perfectly. I need to keep my focus on the things I want done. If there happens to be a mistake made along the way, you learn from it or as he says, “Gain experience”. This year I have a schedule made for myself, but I put easy first, hard last. Now, after hearing his views on going with the hard assignments first, I will have to do some readjusting to my list. All together what I got was, make a well planned list to get all your work done, and save room for changes. I have not watched any other videos on Dr.Pausch’s, nor heard of him. This makes me very curious on whom he is, and information I find to seek later.

Time Management Exercises and Time Management Lessons
I additionally read the Penn State University pages, Time Management Exercises, Preparing for Final Exams, and Time Management Lessons. All together when managing your time make a “to do list” for everyday of the week. When it comes to exam time I learned to make sure I plan what grade I want to make, and in order to obtain that grade study the material needed. Now planning this ahead of time for me would make it a lot easier to not cram so much information last minute. If I follow some of the steps offered in these pages, I can develop a routine suitable with my own lifestyle.