Project 8

C4K Assignments 2

#3 2/24
Paragraph Michigan
This week I got a pretty awesome Child Post assignment! I got to write to a 5th grader who lives all the way in Auckland, New Zealand. Her name is Jessica and she is a bright little girl from Miss. Lavakula's fifth grade class, she loves sports and music. She wrote a post about her favorite holiday, which is Christmas. She wrote how she likes to give her friends and family presents almost as much as she like to receive them. Her blog is very bright and cheerful and she had the coolest thing on it where it told her where people who viewed her blog were from. I can't wait to read more from this little girl, she is so smart and I loved her blog!

#4 3/3
My Mom
This week my assignment was for a young man named Morgan. Morgan is a man of few words; he didn't say much but what he said spoke volumes. He loves. He loved his mom in one post, he loved his teacher Ms. Vannoy in another. The boy just loves. It was such a sweet blog, he is obviously younger but it is great to see younger kids working with technology. I cheated a little and looked at some other blogs as well and some students were extravagant but Morgan kept it simple (my kinda man haha). I love the C4Ks in this class, it really is my favorite thing to get to do!

Project #10

Finding the Right Tool


I have been looking forward to becoming a teacher for a very long time. I have been in school for three years and I can feel myself getting closer to the finish line of finally having my very own classroom. Since I starting this EDM 310 class I have learned so many more truly interesting ways to be not only a teacher but an entertainer in the classroom. One of the neat websites I have discovered is Education World and it is awesome! It gives a history teacher several different examples of games they can play with their students. I love it and can't wait to give it a try!

Blog Post #6 (Due 2/24)

The Networked Student


Having a student that is well versed in internet usage is becoming more and more common. Children know how to use the internet, they know where to go to find the answer to their questions. This video by Wendy Drexler is just pointing that out. This video shows its watchers the many different tools a student can use to find valid information when writing a paper or asking a question. Today everyone is plugged in and being a networked student is where they start. In the video we are asked why is a teacher even needed and honestly when you first hear the question there really isn't an answer(or at least I didn't have a good one). The video did however; it had some pretty good reasons as to why the teachers are still needed. Yes students know their way around the web but sometimes when the student needs help, the teacher is there. The teacher is there to encourage the student when they feel stuck, and to help keep the child organized in their thoughts. Searching the web isn't always a walk in the park and the teacher can be there to help the child see the difference in solid information and things that don't seen all too true. The teacher is there to let the student know that someone will always be there when they need help. I am the kind of person who needs a little extra time when it comes to learning a new thing, or working with technology but I know I am not the only one. The children of right now and tomorrow are already a million times better at working a computer than me, but I know if I was just starting out in a classroom or in a hybrid class environment I could not do it without a teacher. Teachers will always be needed when a person is learning something new. Children are becoming much more advanced but the comfort of a teacher will never not be needed in a learning environment. I might not be the best at working a computer and knowing all its tools, but I would never let a child think they were all alone. I will try my hardest to help them when it is my time to teach and I hope that I can help them and make learning with all the online possibilities a little easier and fun!

A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment or (PLN)
First off this young girl is ridiculously organized and I am extremely jealous because I am always all over the place. I love how easy it is to access all of her things and how simple it is to come in contact with experts on subjects when you have a question. This was a neat presentation and I like the idea of paperless classrooms! (I am a junior in college who goes through three syllabi a semester because I am alway losing them...just saying)

My Sentence Project

C4K assignments

#1. 2/10
"If I had $200..."
This week I was assigned to leave a comment for Mrs. Behm's class and I got to read a post from a young man named Hung Nguyen. He was telling his readers what he would do if he had 200 dollars to spend. He was quite the practical gamer. He told his readers he would buy two video games, that I had never heard of but that wasn't it. He also said that he would buy some clothes to keep warm in the cold winter weather. It was nice to know he was also thinking of buying practical things, if I was his age I would have spent all that money on shoes and candy or something silly. Kids today are so smart, it excites me for what the future holds when they are all running the world.

#2. 2/17
"All About Me"
This week I left a comment for Ms. McKeller's 3rd grade class and I read a post by Therone. He was telling his readers about his life, and his interests. Therone likes football (one of my favorite sports), he also enjoys rap music. He shared that he has three siblings, which I know nothing about being an only child. He was cute, getting to see his interests and likes makes me wonder what he will do in his future.

Blog Post #5 (Due 2/17)

If I built a School By: Krissy Venosdale
This is the most fun, creative and fun blog I have read so far in this class, I am loving the fun ideas Venosdale has shared. The idea of making a school with all these comfortable environments to increase the want to learn is super! It is so cute to want to build her own school, yes it would be a ton of hard work but her ideas are all fantastic. I am madly in love with the idea of a tree house in the library, it is such a cute idea that could be so much fun. I think that could be so fun, especially with younger children the stories told in a tree house could be great adventures. An image like Krissy's is hard to come by but even though she says building this school is just a dream, I really hope her dream comes true because if I had had the chance to learn in a school like that I would have had an even more amazing childhood. That is the type of school that could create some of the most imaginative and creative children of the future.
I could never imagine building my own school but I would love to come up with a dream like that. I love the idea of the beaming neon sign, catching someone's eye and letting them know where the best imaginations should go to grow is fantastic. Krissy Venosdale is a true inspiration, while my dreams aren't as extreme I believe everyone is push for their dreams and see them through.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir
The internet is such a neat place where almost anything is possible, and this was just one of the many examples. The idea to take over 185 people's videos singing the same song and making it into a beautiful chorus was incredible. The way everyone was matched up and placed with their style of singing, sopranos, altos, ect. was fantastic. I can't imagine the time it took to make this video but Mr. Whitacre did an incredible job, the melodies were simply beautiful.

NPR interview with Eric Whitacre
This man had such a fantastic idea and was really inspirational for some people. To hear that a woman who really didn't get out much because she lived all the way in Alaska and these virtual choirs were her way to escape was so fantastic. What a great way to give people such a fun way to get out of reality.

Teaching in the 21st Century
Wow, what an eye opener! This video really can make someone think, especially up and coming teachers. Technology really is surrounding us in this day and age and children honestly have every possible way to research just about any question that pops into their head. Roberts is right when he said it is no longer about entertaining in the classroom, but engaging. I fully support that statement because getting a child engaged in a subject and included them in the classroom is the best form of entertainment. By engaging them, you have their attention and having their attention usually means they are willing to learn the information you are sharing with them. Yes, they could easily learn the information on their own, but like the video also said teachers are merely filters. As filters we are able to feed the children the information in the best way possible. That video was incredible, I wish I could upload it onto my blog so that people who haven't seen it could get the chance. I am not sure how to go about doing that! (Dr. Strange if you read this PLEASE help me, I really want to share this fascinating video)

Fizz Flipping the Classroom
I love love love this idea! Watching videos of a classroom lesson plan the night before while at home is fantastic!!! If a teacher posts what is going to happen and basically teaches the lesson ahead of time is the perfect chance for kids to come up with questions if they are struggling with the subject. Another plus for the younger students would be watching the videos with their parents who could also help with school work from home. I know when I was in grade school I was always having trouble with things like math and my parents were a bit rusty when it came to numbers. "Flipping the classroom" could help the parents if they didn't exactly know how to do something either both the child and parent could use the video to come up with the answer to a problem if they needed it. I seriously think this is one of the most innovative and useful things I have learned and seen since taking this EDM310 class.

Project #5 Presentation

Blog Post #4 (Due 2/10)

Langwitches Listening-Comprehension-Podcasting
These seven-eight year old children were adorable! The blog was written to teach us about learning to work together,perfecting speech, and to gain better comprehension. It was really informative. I never knew that adding an emotion to a word made it easier to learn, but now that I think about it that kind of makes sense. My most favorite part of course was the recording at the end. I understood absolutely none of it because I don't know a lick of Hebrew, but I could really tell the kids were excited and it was obvious that they had worked very hard and practiced their lines. They were fantastic and did a great job making such a cool podcast.

Langwitches- Flat Stanley Podcast
These stories were so creative, getting the children to research the places their "flat" selves were going was a great way to get them learn learn fun facts about different places in the world. I loved the stories, and it showed in their voices that they did too. Podcasts are so much fun and could be a great way to teach children and keep them involved and excited about learning.

"The Benefits of Podcasting in a Classroom" By:Joe Dale
This video was pretty eye-opening, I never realized how many classrooms are already using things like podcasting. It was really neat to see the children learning and doing podcasts on their own. I also think the podcasting done by teachers and uploaded to Itunes is great for the children who become ill. It is a very effective way to keep the children from getting to far behind in the classroom. I might have to steal that idea for future teaching days, I know I certainly could have used things like that when I was in high school.

C4T #1

Learning is Messy Blog
"Long Winded Morning" was the title of Mr. Brian Crosby's first post that I have read, it talked about an activity he had done with a group of elementary teachers in Nevada. It was an interesting experiment that the teachers all participated in, and it taught them all how wind energy works. They teamed up and built machines that lifted up small washers. In response to his post I commented saying how exciting it is to see that teachers are getting involved and grouping together to learn new things to be taught in the classrooms. I have said before in previous blogs, how I love hands on learning and seeing teachers get together and come up with projects that could eventually be super fun projects in the classroom is great!

The second C4T post I read by Mr. Brian Cosby was titled "Hand Held Windmills," you would think it was just the exact same thing as the post from before, but instead of teachers Mr. Cosby and his teaching partner involved the parents. This blog was the same project but on steroids, the project was only 50 minutes instead of a couple hours and the windmills were hand held (obviously..looking at the title) instead of standing. The parents and children still had to do the same project of building a windmill that could lift marbles, but the designs were much different from what the teachers had done in "Long Winded Morning." Once again I let Mr. Cosby know that I was in love with this project, it truly is something I haven't seen before. I think it is fantastic that he is bringing these communities together through science. It is fun seeing teachers come together and also parents with their children. I loved these projects and I really might try to build my very own windmill one day!

Blog Post #3 (due 2/3)

Peer Editing
These two videos and slide show were such a cute and fun way to learn how to appropriately peer edit a classmates work. Peer editing never really had a huge impact when I was in lower school, that was never really an option. This technique is a great example of teaching children better social skills. People will be having to peer edit their entire life. It won't just be in the way people write papers, peer editing is teaching someone how to share an opinion tactfully. Peer editing will never go away and will be used in almost all aspects of life.
The video "Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes" was too precious! The children reenacting the different peer reviewers were great, and they certainly seemed to take their positions seriously.The children in the video portrayed how we should not act when helping others while critiquing their work! No one likes to be picked on, or called out in a harsh manner, the stereotypes were all in good fun but I hope to not ever come across like any of the actors when I leave a review.

Assistive Technologies
Learning about the large population of blind children was new to me. I honestly hadn't even thought that maybe one day I might have a child with that type of disability in my classroom. I realize that might sound ignorant of me but it just had not even crossed my mind. All these neat ways to keep the disabled children learning are pretty awesome. Leaving a child behind just because they have a small disability is irresponsible and it is great that people like Apple have these helpful devices. I loved the voice command that the Ipad has, it's great! The math professor who had the math brale machine thing was really cool too, these devices are what make schools so great. These disabled children need a chance to learn just as much as a child that doesn't have that type of problem.
Technology has come a long way in this day and age. People are coming up with really magnificent ways to keep disabled children learning. I love that and I now am slightly excited for the challenges that I might face with a child with an impairment in my classroom. The thought that I may one day change a child's life is really exciting. I hope that I can impact a child and make them happy to learn just as I am thrilled to teach!

Vicki Davis
What an inspirational woman! She is the type of teacher that believes in empowering her students and letting them learn the way that is best for them. I love teachers like Mrs. Davis, they are there to help but also want the students to not be so dependent on her. She is fantastic, she manged to take her small town Geogria highschoolers and show them the world. She got them involved with other children all the way in the middle east, she is a great teacher and an excellent role model for future teachers looking to be an inspiration in the classroom.