Summary Post C4T #4

I'm a 6th grade teacher from Iowa in my fifth year of teaching who loves learning. I am on twitter at @MrsBMG.

We need to revive the learning spaces we have. They need to feel more natural, welcoming, home-like.
I'm not sure I'm a fan of grade-levels. My son walked at 13 months. Some kids walk at 9 months. Some don't walk until 15 months. Trying to cram all these kids in the same room and teach them the same thing just because they're of the same age isn't quite working.
To encourage people to do the arts, we need to make them a priority in our schools. Right now, we basically label some subjects as useful and some as useless.
Life is based on diversity. We don't want canned results, yet we treat all students as if they're on the college route.
Many times, students leave school not knowing what they're good at.
Talents aren't discovered because we get too focused on standards/benchmarks.
We need to give students time to explore things outside the "curriculum."
"Covering curriculum” is focusing on teaching, not on learning.
We're focusing on learning stuff instead of how to learn.
We need to be more of a "guide on the side" and not the "sage on the stage."


Her latest post on her blog is about how others have recognized her with appreciation of her blog. She wasn't sure if all her tweeting and blogging was doing anyone any good and YES IT has! Hearing how she has helped others made her feel "humbled and uplifted." The picture on her blog post is a canvas bag that says "One person can make a difference and everyone should try." This is a small thought that we should all try to achieve everyday. It does not matter how big or small. What is small to us could be BIG to someone else, it's worth taking the chance for.

C4K Comments 7-10

One of the students I was assigned had to pair with a fellow student to learn about a country neither of them knew anything about. I think this is a great idea for students. Geography is a subject that is not taught very much in lower grades. I think if students were more exposed to it then perhaps they would be more interested in it. These two particular classmates learned about Brazil.

I was assigned a student named Jaden from Mrs. Yollis's 3rd grade class to blog also. This was a riot! Jaden and some of his other classmates decided to have a blog mascot. He choose a chipmunk as his mascot, which he named "Mr.CA." Jaden goes into great detail about the mascot telling what he likes, interest, and who his fellow friend mascots are as well. This is very creative way for children to use their imagination.

Blog Post #13

ALABAMA LEARNING EXCHANGE

I have to say that www.alex.state.al.us is a website that everyone affilated with the education system should have tagged as a favorite. It is amazing at the resources that are available through this website. I am so glad I was assigned to research the site from both a teaching and parenting perspective. There is WEB links for teachers, administration, students, and parents. It does not matter what spectrum of the education system you are part of this website has useful information for you.

Some of the main areas of the website are Courses of Study, Web Links, Lesson Plans, General Search, Personal Workshops, Podcast Treasury, and ALEXVILLE global communities. I really liked the Students Web links because it allows students to explore other reputable websites that encourage them to better themselves in areas they need help with. It extremely user friendly. I encourage you to explore the website!

Project#15 Book Trailer

GREAT BOOK!!!!!!

BLog Post #12

I think one of the assignments for future EDM 310 students should be to interview previous EDM 310 alumni student whom is actually teaching in a classroom. The current student should be responsible for interviewing the alumni about how or what they learned from EDM 310 that they are now using in classrooms. What advantages or things did they learn from the class that they are implementing in their own classroom? The interview can be done via phone, email, Skype or in person. I am not able to do this suggestion because I do not know a EDM 310 alumni that is teaching in a present classroom but look forward to possibly reading next semesters blog to see if they are assigned this and what responses are given.

Blog Post 14/Special Assignment

Reflecting back on Tom Johnson's post I know why I missed the metaphor. Everything in the class is based on how technology can help everyone, both in and out of the classroom. I feel that those thoughts are my only focus when doing any of the assignments. When I came into this class I was not technology literate. When I am working on assignment I find myself being very focused and straight forward thinking. Majority of the assigned blog post we have had either completely for or completely against technology. I think this why I was focusing on the side that was not want pro-technology.
It is strange how things seem cycle around. Just yesterday I used a metaphor while talking to my son and he asked "Why can't you just say what you mean?" I could only laugh thinking about my EDM310 class. You are full of bologna, Come on turtle (talking to my son), you little chicken, you are pulling my leg, silly as a goose, when pigs fly, on cloud 9, are some of the metaphors I have heard in the past few days.
Teachers can help students understand that metaphors are words used in place of the normal words often adjectives. Using odd wording can often get a listeners attention better than the normal vocabulary used to describe something or someone. Metaphors can often also often add humor to situations. When things (statements, ideas, concepts) are taken out of their normal context it is more likely that something will stand out and be remembered. Metaphors are also used to show great comparison or similarity of two things that are not usually related or linked together.

Blog Post #11

Ms.Cassidy actually gives hope to teaching technology in elementary school. How and what she teaches is what children at this age are familiar with. As adults in today's world we are having to learn to live around and with technology, children of today are born with it. They are being taught to use technology in a safe and educational setting. There are too many teachers and parents who are not aware of all the benefits that children have when they have access to such controlled and monitored learning networks. This would be an exceptional video for anyone to watch to learn how beneficial internet is to education. It amazes me that Ms.Cassidy is teaching first graders what I am learning in college.

The Skype video with Ms. Cassidy was amazing and inspiring. She is such a professional on so many levels. I am so glad to see what teachers such as Ms.Cassidy are teaching the children and safety with the internet. Safety and privacy is a very controversial issue when it comes to using technology in classrooms. She does a remarkable job teaching safety to her children.

Special Assignment!!!

Well, well Mr. McClung is a teacher that has certainly set the bar for others to follow. His creativity, organization, and dedication are qualities that everyone could learn from. His blog is meticulously designed with everyone in mind. He has considered parents, students, colleagues, and the public. I would certainly have to give him props for his passion for everyone involved in his learning network.

His rules that he has posted on his blog for everyone to be aware of is very clear for everyone to understand. I think it is wonderful that he encouraging his students to know immediately that they will learn to carry on conversations in such a disciplined respectful manner.

DAY PLANNER, I couldn’t agree more needs to be the first on the must have list. It is such an essential tool in being organized. I think students should be introduced to planners in classrooms at earlier ages. Planners will definitely be a must for my classroom as well.

Mr. McClung and Dr.Strange has either talked or took one anthers advice on the rules of grades and deadlines. I recall a notice informing me that if the mid-term questionnaire was not filled out by the deadline that it would be a deduction of 1 letter grade. This rule certainly gives incentive for being punctual with assignments.

Mr.McClung’s approach with his blog being a “vehicle” is brilliant. We use vehicles to drive us places his blog can do the very same thing. His blog can take you from one place to the next. This is a wonderful tool that a teacher can provide a student.

There was also 2 links that I explored, Convince Me and Discovery Education. Convince Me is a debate website that allows people to discuss controversial and current issues going on in the world. It is wonderful because it can allow you to hear others opinions which you may have never considered before. The Discovery Education website is designed to help teachers, students, administrators, and parents. I will with a doubt go back to it for help with my son and his homework.

Teach Someone Something Project #14

I thought really hard about this project because there is something very simple I had learned in EDM310 this semester that I think everyone should know. Majority of people I would say do not think about blind people being able to use a computer. I had not thought about it myself until Dr. Strange informed my class that it is a law that when pictures are posted on websites or blogs that there is a code in the HTML that must be placed in order for audio to blind people exploring the internet to be able to know what is being shown. With all that said, my mother owns her own rental property business and has a website that has photos of all of her homes for rent. I asked her if she has ever thought about blind people wanting to make reservations from her website and as I assumed the thought never crossed her mind. I began to explain to her how simple the HTML modifier was to allow audio to explain/describe her photos on her website.

Blog Post #10

Well on Moragan Bayda's blog I read her story and watched the video Dan Brown made. I can see from a teacher's perspective, like Ms. Bayda, why she would want to share this video with others. It is bluntly a fact that the methods of teaching have not changed any where near the pace that technology has advanced. Dan Brown keeps talking about the way that education is institutionalized and he is very accurate with that description in my personal opinion and experience. The primary effort and financial resources should be used in the secondary and higher education levels.

The economy is a major factor in the lack of resources that are available to students especially in the public school system. It would be nice to only focus on the advancement of that technology would give our children. Unfortunately the reality is that while we are learning about all the unlimited advantages that our children could have with the numerous websites, computer programs, and gadgets it is not reality that they will have access to them. I 100% agree Dan Brown that the methods used to teach to children need to be revised. The attention and focus of children today is not what it used to be years ago. Technology is a factor in that. They are used to having interactive video games, social networking and immediate answers. We can’t really expect them to be attentive for a long time without being distracted. College students, whom are considered to be adults, can not even seem to sit in lecture classes without falling asleep, texting or web searching on their lap tops. How can we possibly think that children can keep their focus?

One of the most resourceful and genius things that I have read about a teaching doing that would actually use technology to the best advantage for the children was from Jeff Utecht. His blog is title is “The thinking stick.” He tells about a teacher named Brian Bennett. You can read about him on my blog post CAT #3. Mr. Bennett used technology to put his lesson plan in technology format. Therefore, when he taught he wasn’t spending time flipping through a book, looking for his next material, or having to return to a desk to get the next information. This was genius. He used his time out of class to prepare and teach the lesson so that in class he was available to student’s answer questions rather spend time searching for papers, erasers or etc.

While the grand idea that Dan Brown has is true it is not practical and we have to be realistic in what we have to work with. The dream of being able to teach with Ipads, web cameras and so forth is just that a dream. We can all aspire to have those abilities one day. In the mean time we need to focus on what things we do have and how to make those things more modern and interesting to the children.




So, there is this person named Tom Johnson who does not think that children should take pencils home. Most anyone reading this is probably thinking what in the heck could be his reason and that it possibly can not make sense. I thought so from the initial sentence and I still think so after reading the entire blog post. He goes on to say that they are some kind of negative effect on standardized test the children take and that they are dangerous. It is true they can be dangerous if the children are allowed to use them as weapons and go around stabbing other children. Yes this has been known to have happened before however far from the normal reason children have pencils at home.

In the grand scheme of school a pencil is one of the most used and requested items that a teacher asks a student to bring to class. If they are used to having it all at school perhaps taking it home might just encourage them to use it there as well. I would much rather my children have the supply to write or draw regardless of where they are. This will only allow them to learn, create and/or explore.