"What I've Learned This Year" by Mr. McClung

I really enjoyed Mr. McClung's article about his first year of teaching. There are several interesting points in his blog post. Firstly, he brings up the importance of staying positive. In today's society, a teacher can get bogged down with the negativity of everything that is going on in the world. It is his or her decision to bring that attitude into the classroom. Mr. McClung chose to STAY POSITIVE! Sometimes he had high expectations for his students, but he learned real quick that "children, like adults, are not perfect." Another intriguing remark Mr. McClung made was "Listen to your Students!" That is such a simple, yet important piece of advice! Personally, the most memorable teachers in my life were the ones that truly took the time to learn about my life and my interests. All in all, as a aspiring teacher, I will remember Mr. McClung's advice, going into my first year of teaching.

Can Wikipedia be a Trusted Source of Information?

Throughout the years, I have always been told not to use Wikipedia as a reliable research source. I never questioned my English teachers; I was obedient and did what I was told. But nowadays, I believe Wikipedia is not a reliable source. In my opinion, it is a good place to start when looking up specific ideas, but one cannot rely only on the website's information. The website is completely inaccurate because anybody can make changes to each individual page.

With the creation of the Wikiscanner, Wikipedia is improving it's reputation. Virgil Grifftih, a graduate student at California Institute of Technology, created this tool to keep a lookout on who actually edits these articles. Although this is a good move for the website, I still believe a student should not fully rely on Wikipedia. One should take the time and search the wonderful World Wide Web to better understand a subject.

Comments4Kids Week 4

This week, I commented on the "Wyatt and Jarna" blog post. I loved watching the video the student had made. The story was another edition of the classic, Hansel and Gretel. Although PT England School resides in New Zealand, it is amazing to think about two faraway countries being united with the tools of literature and blogging.

Oh the places I have gone!

Did you Know 4.0

Comparing this video to the previous "Did you Know video," I found this one to be quite upsetting. Over two thousand text messages are sent each month by the average teenager. Many of my family members and friends fit this description in their texting habits. Personally, I go through about 200 each month. I prefer to communicate through talking on the phone, rather than texting. I believe this growing trend is going to negatively affect the student's communication skills as they get older.

Each day, I have to partake in my daily dosage of reading the newspaper. Many journalism stations are going virtual. Newspaper sales have extremely decreased over the past couple of years, with the additions of online resources. What used to be a necessity of life is becoming more and more extinct as technology becomes more popular. In my experience, reading long documents online causes loss of concentration and many headaches. Though it is "more green" to rely on online documents, is there a way we can save the classic ways, while embracing the new ideas?

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture : Acheiving your Childhood Dreams

Wow, I was impressed by Randy Pausch's motivation speech. He was one of the best speakers I have ever heard! Though Randy had only a couple of months to live, he spent it by tugging at the heart of his listeners, through the retelling of his own story.

Randy Pausch achieved every one of his childhood dreams through a tremendous amount of determination. He mentions, that "one cannot achieve his or her dreams alone." Opportunities arise each and every day to help another, whether that help comes from parents, teachers, or co-workers. As a future educator, I will make an impact upon my students' lives by believing in THEIR childhood dreams.

Another excellent point that Randy brings up in his lecture is the "Head Fake." To make a student comprehend a subject is hard, but to get them to like it, is a whole new ball field. This concept has been used throughout the years in many subjects. As a fifth grade student, I remember taking an adventure on the "Oregon Trail." My teacher brought it to life by allowing us to pretend, as if we were traveling across the nation ourselves. Because I was having so much fun, I did not realize that I was learning in disguise about an important piece of American history.

"We can not change the cards that we are dealt..." In order to achieve our childhood dreams, we must push through the status quo and make something out of our lives. Every individual comes from many different environments and lifestyles, yet it all begins with a dream: A Specific Dream. Randy achieved every dream he had, as a child, though his circumstances might have temporarily prevented them. For example, Randy could not check out "Zero Gravity," as a faculty member. But this didn't prevent him from pursuing his dream, he enlisted as the classes' journalist and documented his space experience.

"Don't bail; the best gold is at the bottom of barrels of crap." This is absolutely true! I believe that Randy Pausch's quote can be applied to many aspects of life. In my own life, I regret quitting certain activities. If I had held on longer, I would have gotten so much better at the skills. Besides my family, many people did not believe in me, which ultimately caused me to have low self-esteem. Occasionally in my future teaching, I will have to dig deep to find a child's potential, though it may be difficult. I will have to persevere and not give up!

All in all, Randy not only leaves his legacy to colleagues, students, and the occasional video watcher like myself, but most importantly, to his three children. He explains the importance of being able to achieve one's childhood dreams and the lessons he has learned from doing so.

Comments4Kids Week 3

This week I commented on Asena's posting in Room 10 at PT England School. Asena was giving a short, but sweet summary of the known fable, Snow White! I was quite impressed at how comfortable this young student was in front of the camera. Having taken Public Speaking last semester, I barely could make it through my own speeches, let alone be videotaped. I commend this child for enlightening me on the subject!

Fisch: "Is it Okay to be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?

Wow! This blog is very straight-forward, yet so true! I enjoyed reading Karl Fisch's opinion about being technologically illiterate. He couldn't have presented the material any better than he did. He changed my perspective about technology in the classrooms. Before, I thought that a teacher could get by without technology, but truly one cannot. I loved the quote he used comparing teachers who don't know how to use technology to teachers who don't know know how to read or write! In today's society, a teacher cannot survive without updating their technology skills. Not only does it hinder their ability to learn, it hinders the students.

Any student graduating from any university should leave the school with a firm foundation of technology. Children are growing up with Ipods, Gameboys, and home computers, as young as five years old. According to Dr. Strange's survey, society is no longer focusing on reading and writing. Much of the population is evolving into a world of listeners. All in all, it is not okay to be technologically illiterate.

"It's Not about the Technology" by Kelly Hines

"Teachers today must be perpetual learners who are invested in their professions. We must be up to date on current trends, research and tools. We must know what our students are doing and where they are coming from when they enter our classrooms." an excerpt from Ms. Hines' post.

I completely agree with this statement. In order to be a successful teacher, one must be passionate about learning! As a future teacher, I must evaluate what I know and build on it to enhance the student's performance! Kelly Hines also explains that "Technology is useless without good teaching." It's like having all the materials to build a fire, but you don't take the initiative to actually do it. Why not make better use out of the the technology that is already in schools? Before I entered this class, my academic career, pertaining to technology, consisted of computers only being used for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. Though many of my schools had available new technologies such as the SmartBoard, I do not remember a single teacher using them to their advantage.

One could be a 21st century teacher without technology, but they are missing out on the benefits that technology brings to the classroom.The trend of today's students is technology. Though it may seem intimidating at first, in my opinion, teachers must utilize technology to its fullest.

Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today

I believed that there were many interesting points throughout this whole video. It pretty much described my college experience. Truthfully, I am one of those students who waste her life away on facebook. In the beginning, I vowed never to dive into this addictive world, that is filled with updating statuses and posting pictures. But as a requirement for my Freshman Seminar class here at the South, we were told to make a "Facebook" for ourselves. I disagree though with the idea of being just a number at the university. One of the reasons why I came to the University of South Alabama was the fact that it gave me smaller classes, in most cases.

If I was able to add anything to make it more personable to my own life, I would focus more on text messaging, as well as individual phone calls. I see myself as being more balanced when it comes to using the two. Also, I would add study habits. For example, I am a huge procrastinator. It would have been interesting to display certain statistics pertaining to that subject. All in all, there is not much I would change in "A Vision of Students Today."

Comments4Kids Week 2

This week was a little different because we were only required, to comment on one student. We were each given an individual student from a fourth grade class in St. Louis, MO. Reading through the story made me realize how much I truly loved school as a child. In my past, I would have several stories waiting to be written down, off the top of my head. I did not have to worry about deadlines or paper lengths. Though I have lost that passion in a way, reading this student's story allowed me to become that child I once was! This particular story was about one's difficulty in riding her new bike. I remember numerous times falling off my bike, not wanting to get back on it. But just like this student, I was determined to figure out the ropes of my new bicycle!

Comment4Kids Week 1

I definitely found the children's blogs to be intriguing! It blows my mind to think about technology being used in every part of the world. I began commenting on three different classrooms, ranging from elementary to middle school. I found that I could relate to many of the students' blogs. For example, the eighth grade English class I looked at, were reading the Lord of the Flies, one of my favorites growing up!

Integrating ICT into the MFL classroom

I watched the video called "The Benefits of Podcasting in the classroom." I thought this was very educational. Clearly I have learned that there are many benefits to this new art. The teacher not only provides why it is important to include podcasts in your curriculum, but he used some scenarios to get his point across better. When a child is sick, she can not be penalized for staying at home anymore because she has access to the teacher's daily lectures through podcasts. Parents can take a glimpse into what their children are learning each and every day, as well.

Joe Dale allows his students to dive into this new technology by giving them the opportunity to create their own podcasts/videocasts. Ultimately, this "promotes creativity and innovation." The students interact with each others, which builds their teamwork skills and allows them to gain confidence in their school work.

Technologically Literate Teacher

The video cast from last year was very interesting and informative. I learned a lot through the different perspectives that Dr. Strange and the four women had. The women spoke well, as they gave their own opinions on each subject. One subject that really stuck to me was the face that "not only does the student have to be continuously learning, but the teacher must do so as well." Because technology keeps changing, educators must learn to embrace new things.

Upon watching this video cast, I dissected it looking for things to keep in mind for my own video cast. I thought it was a successful device explaining the importance of "The Technologically Literate Teacher." The graduate students seemed a lot more comfortable talking, which made the video cast better as a whole. The conversation style is popular, which makes it a lot easier to listen to. All in all, I thought these students did a great job!