Sunday, September 28, 2014

Project 8 Book Trailer



Where the Wild Things Are Book Trailer

Blog Post 6

Outline
1-The teacher's work ethic.
2-Teaching strategies concerning technology and project based learning.
3-How to approach teaching.

I learned a lot about how teachers have to approach their schedule and balance time between work and other responsibilities. I found it interesting that Capps actually became more stressed when he cut his work hours to only 10 during the day. I learned that while teaching I would need to continuously research what I wanted to cover and be sure that it tied into the standards set by the government. At first, I was sitting here thinking that maybe I had made a mistake in my chosen occupation because of the large amount of dedication and time . However, by the end of the assignment I was still very excited about being a teacher because, despite the difficulty, I can't think of a more rewarding and exciting job than helping others learn.

I really enjoyed the fact that Capps addressed the need for teachers to not just show students how to use technology, but actually getting the students to use the technology throughout the course. I found it interesting how he combined project based learning and technology by allowing them to use technology that gives them real life skills and meets the standards set by the government. I think that giving the students a real issue to address that they can relate to is a good way to include them in the community and will interest them. Teaching students certain skills is very important, however, it is also important for students to understand the world they live in and what is going on.

Strike easier from your repertoire. Nothing worth doing is easy. Simple, sometimes. Easy? never.
Source:StrategyLab.ca

The tips provided in the videos The Anthony - Strange Tips for Teachers Part 1 and the lesson structures talked about in Additional Thoughts about Lessons were helpful in figuring out exactly what teaching requires. I have asked many people throughout my education what teaching is really like, and everyone has different answers, most are negative. Capps' and Strange's tips helped me get a better idea about teaching and what I can expect. Also, their tips were honest and not overly negative and helped me have a realistic view of teaching.

Friday, September 26, 2014

C4K Summary for September

Outline
1. The post and comment of C4K #1 post.
2. The post and comment of C4K #2 post.
3. The post and comment of C4K #3 post.

My first comment was left on a student's post who was in New Zealand and attended the Pt. England school. He posted about the Revolution Tour that visited his school. He stated that it was an anti-bullying group who performed for them. I had never heard of this group, so I looked a video up on youtube.
Source: Youtube


After watching the above video, I commented back that I enjoyed the group's performance and was glad that their school allowed groups like that to perform. I also stated that I liked the singing and dancing most. I preceded to ask what he enjoyed most about the performance.

My second post was to a student in Mrs. Timm's class. The student's assignment was to create an invention, and she came up with a banapple. She described the fruit as red like an apple but shaped like a banana. The fruit also tastes sweet and feels smooth. I commented that I thought her invention would probably taste very good and stated that some of my favorite fruit drinks are a blend of apples and bananas. I also went on to ask her where her fruit would grow in the world.
My third post was to a student in Mrs. Greer's class. He wrote a story about a girl who found a pet crocodile on her walk. The student did make grammar errors, and the teacher had posted for him to go and correct the mistakes. I experimented a little and tried to show the correct way to do it in my post. For example, he used a sentence that started with when that he put a period after the phrase instead of a comma. So, I used the same type of sentence in my post to try and show how to correctly do it. I didn't point it out or say this is how it is done. I simply wrote a sentence that started with when that also talked about his story. I'm not sure if this will result in anything or not, but I thought it would be interesting to see if seeing it done in a comment would leave an impression. I went on to talk about crocodiles and how I used to love huge reptiles like that. Also, I asked what he thought about crocodiles.


I really enjoyed reading the children's posts and commenting on them. I'm constantly thinking about how I could use this in my future class by having students post on other blogs to let them communicate with people hundreds of miles away. To be honest, at first I thought this assignment would be just another chore to do; however, I find myself really enjoying the children's posts and putting more effort into my comments than I thought I would.

Friday, September 19, 2014

Blog Post 5

Outline
1. Describe what a PLN is and how a PlN is beneficial.
2. How a PLN is formed and how an individual can create his or her own.
3. A description of my PLN and who I will add first.

A personal learning network(PLN) is a group of people or tools an individual uses to gather information on a certain interest. For example, if an English teacher creates a PLN he or she would include possibly blogs of other teachers, twitter accounts that connect to teaching or the subject, and websites that have information the teacher could learn from. A PLN can help a teacher because it provides information on topics, activities, and allows for communication between educators. The Michael Fawcett PLN video details how a PLN can benefit a teacher. Fawcett goes into detail about how making connections has allowed him to grow as a teacher and learn new teaching techniques. Maybe the most important aspect of Fawcett's PLN is the support he describes. Teaching is not an easy occupation, and being connected to others of the same profession and interests allows discussions and support when a teacher is overwhelmed with administration, students, or parents.

   A PLN can be set up any way that the user desires. I prefer using twitter and have been trying to expand my account to include my interests such as literary theory, book releases, and book reviews. A PLN is set up by first choosing a topic or question and then picking different sources to follow. For example, my chosen topic is literary theory, so I will go to twitter and search for accounts of individuals, websites, or organizations that provide information on that topic. Then, to further expand my PLN, I will follow who they follow. Eventually I'll build up a PLN about literary theory that includes many sources, perspectives, and ideas. Also, I tribute by reading about this topic and tweeting about what I learn or think. This allows communication and it generates idea in a PLN. To really setup a PLN, an individual doesn't need to just search but contribute. Contributing is a key factor into any PLN and won't last without it.  Developing a Personal Learning Network EDM 310 is a good source for better understanding how to start a PLN and other aspects of PLNs.

   As stated in the previous paragraph, I have already started to setup a PLN in my twitter account. I am following one literary theory account and other accounts that focus on book releases and reviews. It is a bit slow right now because I'm still learning how to navigate twitter; however, I expect to have a full functioning PLN in a few weeks. I have also began to look at books to buy and pod casts to listen to. I am very excited to start a PLN. Another thing about my PLN I'm considering is setting up a separate blog that will allow me to talk about what theories I've come across and the books I'm reading.


A diagram connecting multiple people together.
Source:computers.vineglobal.net

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Blog Post 4

Outline
1) Discuss questions that allow students to be engaged.
2) How teachers can improve questioning.
3) Questions strategies that require thinking.

One of the things teachers need to consider when asking questions is if the students are engaged in the conversation. If the students are not engaged, then the lesson will only reach a handful of students. The rest will be in their own world or wondering when class would be over. I particularly liked Questioning Styles and Strategies because it gave more styles of questioning that allowed the students to interact in different ways. For example, one strategy was physical representation that required the student to get up and show the class what he meant. In this case, he had to stand up and show what kind of monster he would see in The Bridge to Terabithia. Another strategy that was brought up in this video and another article on the list was allowing students to choose who had to answer the same question next. I think this is very beneficial to students because it allows a bit of classroom discussion. Also, students may seem less nervous being asked the question from a student than the teacher.


A teacher's questioning strategy is very important for the learning of his or her students. Asking Questions to Improve Learning gives teachers points on how to become effective questioners. It suggests preparing before hand, asking mixed questions, and being clear. These qualities allow students to be able to understand what is going on, and jumping between types of questions allows for more discussion instead of a rigid Q and A session. Learning how to respond to students is also important to becoming an effective teachers. Allowing students time to think of the answer, not interrupting them, and showing an interest are just a few examples of how to respond better. The response to students can either help others feel secure in answering or asking questions, or a teacher's response can lead to students refusing to be active in class. Overall, teachers do not need to learn just how to ask questions, but teacher's need to learn to respond too.

Another quality of effective teaching is asking questions that require thinking. The video and article above both have strategies for this. The video, Questioning Styles and Strategies, has a teacher asking follow-up questions and open ended questions which is important for requiring student to think, but this technique also gives the teacher an idea if the student fully understands the material. Asking Questions to Improve Learning also presents strategies to get students thinking. The article suggests asking simple questions and then following with another. This will help discussions and will cause students to keep thinking. It also suggests staying away from questions that give the answer already. These questions are called leading questions and are not effective. Teachers should sometimes ask the class a question, wait a few seconds, and then call on a student which requires the whole class to participate in the question.

A professor behind a desk asking a question while pointing his finger.
Source:ThePictureBookTeachersEdition.blogspot.com

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Project #15 Search Engine Descriptions

Outline
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of:
1) Wolf|Alpha
2) Bing
3) Webopedia
4) Ixquick
5) Webcrawler
6) DuckDuckGo
7) Dogpile
8) What-U-Seek

     Wolf|Alpha, was very informative as long as the searcher knows exactly what he or she is looking for. The search engine will offer very specific details and offer links to more information. Overall, the website is a good source if someone needs either basic information or more detailed information. It would be very helpful in looking for specific information for papers or even help for homework. However, the one downfall is that the site will not offer information if you just search for a broad term or phrase. For example, if someone is wanting to know what is a good paper topic, they would not use this website because it'll be blank. This site is a good tool for only detailed information, which is sometimes hidden among the other search engines' endless advertisements and useless articles.

   Bing, is one that we are all familiar with. This engine offers a lot of information, however, it is unhelpful in looking for certain details because of the overwhelming amount of information it provides. Many students would see this as a good thing, but when researching it is better to be able to find the information quickly than having to shuffle through too much useless information. However, this site isn't completely useless. Bing is a good site for images, videos, and broad topics. Students who need a to search for paper topics, or other broad topics, would benefit from Bing because of the information. A student would use Bing to find a paper topic and Wolf|Alpha for specific details.

    Webopedia, was actually very interesting. This search engine is dedicated to technological terms and products. For example, if someone was trying to research what computer to buy, Webopedia would be the perfect tool for them. It was a very informative site, and if anyone ever needs more information on computers, systems, or technology in general, Webopedia would be very helpful. The site provides detailed information and many categories to search through.

   Ixquick is very similar to Wolf|Alpha because it offers very clear and concise information with little advertisement. It isn't set up as a chart like Wolf|Alpha, but the information is very easy to find. For example, I searched Anne Boleyn and was immediately presented with useful articles and websites to check out. This site is very helpful and informative. It is also easy to navigate since all sources are presented much like Bing and Google pull up sources.

A magnifying glass over the word search.
Source:www.tractlocal.com

   Webcrawler was my least favorite search engine I found. It presented a list of many useless articles when I would type in a topic. However, the site would be helpful if someone isn't exactly sure what they are looking for because it provides so many articles and a list of helpful hints to narrow down the search. A student could use Webcrawler for ideas on a topic for a project, but would find the other search engines more helpful when looking for specific details.

   DuckDuckGo was a very helpful site. It provides alternative modes of searching that allows individuals to see only what is needed. Also, there were no obnoxious advertisements. I would use this site for research papers, projects, and other work. It provides good selection of images, videos, and other sources. I really liked how a searcher could look up the definition or well known facts quickly by selecting the options on the menu. The sight allows for deeper searches and basic information to help the searcher understand the topic a little more.

Dogpile is a site I would recommend for looking for information for directions, items to buy, or news. The site has other articles, but mainly it presents information for purchasing items and other such things. I did not find it a very helpful source of information and wouldn't recommend it for anyone for homework research.

What-U-Seek is a website more for practical information. It would help out with information on locations, recipes, and directions. However, for certain academic exercises it would be useless. WhatUSeek is a useful tool for specific information that would usually be hard to find in the big search engines. For example, for a simple recipe people, instead of having to shuffle through the overwhelming Bing and Google articles, can go to WhatUSeek and look through links with simple descriptions. This would help individuals who have specific interests and knows what they are looking for.

Friday, September 12, 2014

C4T#1

Outline
Discuss Mrs. Cassidy's blog on welcoming new students.
Discuss Mrs. Cassidy's blog on incorporating technology into the classroom.


The first blog by Mrs. Kathy Cassidy that I commented on was titled Hello, New Students! Welcome to Our Class. It was her discussing how she welcomes students to her classroom. Mrs. Cassidy sends out a letter during the summer addressing the students. She asks about the student's interest in the letter and gives a few details about what they will cover in the year. She also informs students that she is preparing her room for them, and she tells them the time and place she will meet them. Mrs. Cassidy states that this has helped both students feel better about starting the school year. I commented on how this was an excellent way to let students know that the teacher cared and was looking forward to seeing them. The students would no doubt feel at ease with someone they have already had contact with and who they knew a little about. I also pointed out that reaching out to the students would no doubt give the parents a sense of relief. Since parents typically do not have any contact with teachers before the school starts, it probably allowed parents to feel better about leaving their children with Mrs. Cassidy for part of the day.


The second blog by Mrs. Cassidy that I commented on was discussing how she incorporates technology into her everyday classroom schedule and it was titled Changing Face of Early Literacy- Why Digital?. Mrs. Cassidy uses blogs and twitter for shared reading during her classes. She says this helps students become familiar with the technology and it engages them. According to Mrs. Cassidy, students like to participate in this kind of shared reading because they are interested in what people say and when others comment to the class. She states that using this type of shared reading allows her to have discussions with her class on what they are reading and if it is connected to what they are learning, should they comment back, and was the post a good post. I responded that this was a good practice for the students and would help them in later in their education and jobs. I expressed how I liked seeing how students respond and their excitement over reading other people's responses through blogs or tweets.



A collage of words describing technology in the classroom.
Source:learningonlineinfo.org

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Blog Post 3

Outline
1- Discuss the steps to reviewing in What is Peer Editing video and Peer Edit With Perfection Tutorial.
3- Discuss Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes video and the benefits of the presentation.
2- Discuss the right way to review of Ellis Paige's EDM310 Blog Assignment 12.

The What is Peer Editing video and Peer Edit With Perfection Tutorial was very helpful in trying to figure out how to look at peer editing.The two presentations gave three rules to help with reviewing. The first step, which is complimenting, allows students to enter to the review on a good note and lets the writer know that there were good points. Allowing the student who is being reviewed to not feel like a failure or that she or he should not be writing. The rules step reminds the reviewer to not let the fear of being rude interfere with correcting mistakes. The writer will only keep making mistakes if the review doesn't contain ways to improve. The last step, remaining positive, is essential to both the writer and the one reviewing because it keeps the way open for the writer to feel comfortable seeking future help. For instance, if the reviewer had left a harsh review, it would discourage the writer from seeking help in the future and maybe writing at all.

The Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes video was very interesting because we have all been in the position where we were trying to help someone or where we were the writer and more than likely we have been a Picky Patty, a Mean Margaret, or in my case a Whatever Matthew. However, these behaviors can greatly hinder our own progress or someone else's.  We all need to remember that peer reviewing is to help and, despite if we find it boring, we should carefully listen to what others tell us so we can improve. Addressing the issues found here is also another form of review. If we experience someone acting like this, we should discuss the behavior and remind the individual how it could hurt in the future to not pay attention to what is important.

I found the Ellis Paige's EDM310 Blog Assignment 12 most helpful. I know there have been times when I wished someone would discretely tell me when I made multiple mistakes instead of publicly doing it. However, there have been other times when a writing had been so wrong and incorrect that I knew addressing it in front of everyone would cause a lot of embarrassment for the other student. I found this video helpful because it'll let students know how to handle a situation. If a student does horribly on a post, the reviewer should be honest but keep the other videos' three steps in mind and then email the student later about how the post could further improve. Hopefully, the student will remember to not take it personally, like in the Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes video,  and work on his or her writing.


Source "Pinterest"