Monday, January 26, 2015

Blog Post #3

How can you provide meaningful feedback to your peer?

Let's eat Grandpa. Let's eat, Grandpa. Punctuation saves lives!
What is peer editing? In the video What is peer editing?, the author explains to us that peer editing is working with someone your own age to help improve, revise, or edit his or her writing. Peer editing helps students improve their papers or writings before they have to turn them in for a grade. I think peer editing is a great tool to use for students to help them obtain all points possible with just a little help from a classmate. 

As I was flipping through the slides on, Peer Edit with Perfection, the author of this presentation teaches us that there are 3 steps to correctly edit a peer's work. 1) Compliments 2)Suggestions and 3) Corrections. She tells us that a good peer editor should always start with a compliment. Compliment what you liked or what you think the student you are editing did well in his or her paper. Second, she told us to make suggestions. If you think they should add a few words or change their sentence structure then suggest it, don't be a "Pushy Polly" as they mentioned in, Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes. Lastly, you should make corrections. If you find words spelled incorrectly, run on sentences, or any other grammatical errors; you should correctly note that on their paper so they can go back and make those changes. When you are editing someone's work make sure you are being very specific where corrections need to be made and always remember to STAY POSITIVE! 

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Blog Post #2

Mr. Dancealot

      Professor Dancealot demonstrates how NOT to teach students. When you are teaching
children you need to be interacted with them. Children need to be up on there feet doing the dance moves with you in order for them to grasp these concepts. The author shows Professor Dancealot standing behind the desk the entire time he teaches, demonstrating dance moves where not one student can see. One students actually gets up to try and watch the steps Professor Dancealot is performing and he tells the student to sit back down. A dance class to me should be interacted and preferably in a big open room for students to mimic the steps. I do not agree with his teaching methods and I will not use them in my classroom. I want my students to enjoy coming to class; not sit and roll their eyes or fall asleep, like most did in this video.

Teaching in the 21st Century

But, Mom, I DO know my history. To prove it, I'll google "Abe Lincoln"
      In Roberts' video he states, "If teachers can only provide content, facts, dates, formulas, research, theories, stories and information; then the role in the lives of students is obsolete." I agree with him on this statement because in todays society kids, teens, adults, and anyone for that matter can find anything and everything on the internet.

I. Teachers are no longer the main source of knowledge.
   1. Roberts states, that we are "filters" we teach students how to use the internet appropriatly and efficiently. In this day in time, young children are
learning to use technology such as: IPads, IPods, computers, kindles and any other type of technology. This gives children the upper hand with being able to learn more things on their own at their own pace.

II. What does this mean about the classroom?
   1. If 21st century learning for students is going to become working on a computer or IPad, then you have to think about what that will do to your classroom. Each student will need their own computer/IPad to work on during the day. As Roberts states, you will need to rethink the types of problems you ask student If the work you give them is so straight forward that they can look it up on google then it would be pointless for them to even come to class.

III. How could students be challenged to solve problems online?
   1. Ask questions that you would only know if you looked them up online, but make them explain why that is their answer.

I agree with Roberts on how he portrays teaching in the 21st century. I feel like it will benefit future educators, but will also make it more challenging. Since students can find anything and everything on then internet, teachers will need to make their lessons where students are more engaged to keep them focused.


The Networked Student

      This video is a great example of what teaching in the 21st century will most likely become. As our society becomes more revolved around technology, I think most schools will slowly adjust to being entirely taught through a computer. Meaning teachers will teach through podcast or via skype/facetime. Even though I believe schools will eventually become computer based, teachers should still be available not only through skype or facetime but also in person if a student is having trouble and just can't grasp the concepts through the podcasts. They made a good point in the video when they asked the question "Why does the networked student even need a teacher?", the teacher is there to guide and instruct the students on how to network properly and I think it is very important to still have that teacher around to help when students get stuck.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

      In the video Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts, Vicki Davis uses all kinds of technology to connect her students to the world. I think it is wonderful that she is getting her students interacted globally, so they are not just limited to what a teacher is teaching out of a book they can go much further into the education in any subject. I love how she lets them basically "run" the classroom. She teaches them how to use different kinds of software and they research new things and teaches the rest of the class what they have learned. I also love how she considers herself a "teacherpreneur", where she believes that her students not only learn from the information she is giving them but she also learns from her students.

Who's Ahead in the Learning Race? 

       In today's society children are more technologically advanced than most older people. To the question that Dr. Strange has asked, "Who is ahead in the learning race?", I would have to say elementary students are. I feel like our schools are slowly becoming all technology based. They are starting with young children because they are just starting their educational journey, whereas someone that is in their 1st or even last year of college has already gotten through most of their schooling. I do believe if Elementary schools are going to become based around technology they should start with colleges, so our future educators will know how to teach using this technology.

Flipping the Classroom

Guy doing a handstand in a classroom.      Flipping the Classroom is not completely new to me. I previously had a class in where we learned strictly from a teacher on podcast through the internet. I personally enjoyed it because I could progress at my own pace. Although we did have certain days and times that things needed to be done, I could still do things on my own time and at my own speed. I think it will be very useful to teachers in future classroom, it will give teachers more time throughout the day to help students with the concepts they are having trouble with instead of them having to stay after class and get help.


I agree with Roberts on how he portrays teaching in the 21st century. I feel like it will benefit future educators, but will also make it more challenging. Since students can find anything and everything on then internet, teachers will need to make their lessons where students are more engaged to keep them focused.


     


Sunday, January 18, 2015

Blog Post #1

As I was sitting at the computer, registering for classes, I hesitated on signing up for EDM 310. I have heard many terrifying rumors and comments about this class that made me question when I wanted to take this course. I've heard things along the lines of "EDM310 is one of the worst classes I have ever taken, the course load is unrealistic for the amount of time you have to do it. He just gives you the assignment with no instruction at all, and if you ask him for help, he will either tell you to figure it out on your own, or tell you to go to the 'Lab assistants' which goof off and don't help at all" but then again I have heard some very encouraging comments about it as well such as "I loved this class. Its a very independent class, you do everything on your own but it really gets you prepared for being a future teacher!". Comments like these are always reassuring and help when you think you are going to go insane just thinking about all the work you are going to have to be doing.
Guy crouching behind a desk chair.


I have only taken one other education class that would be comparable to EDM and that was EDU 301 with Dr. Vitulli. Dr. Vitulli's class and EDM to me are totally different. EDU 301 was an art education class, which most of the material taught in that class was stuff we learned in elementary school. We had projects that we had to complete by deadlines, but she was very lenient if you were not finished at the desired deadline.

When it comes to school work, which I know sounds so bad, I am not organized at ALL! Each semester, going into my classes, I tell myself over and over that I hope to get more organized with my school work. One of my biggest fears going into this class is being able to set aside the required 9 hours a week on the work that needs to be done. I can also be very forgetful and am afraid I will forget that something is due and my work will be turned in late. As for those fears, I will most likely have the hardest time with the time management part and setting aside the appropriate time to finish my projects. I think the best way for me to manage my time and get the projects done on time is for me to schedule certain days and times that I am going to work on each project.



Saturday, January 17, 2015

Practice Blog

Outline:

A. Who am I?

 1. I am Alison
 2. 3rd year at South
 3. From Mobile
 4. Daycare teacher

B. Why do I want to be and educator?

 1. Want to watch children grow
 2. Want to be an inspiration to children and their parents

C. What does an educator do in his or her practice?

 1. Help students learn and learn with them
 2. 21st centry educators: technologically literate

D. What are my passions?

 1. Children




Hey everyone I'm Alison! I am currently attending my third year here at South and so far it is going pretty well. I've had the privelege of meeting some inspiring people and professors here and I hope to meet many more. I was born and raised right here in Mobile, Alabama even though there is not much to do here, I wouldn't have wanted to grow up anywhere else. I am currently employed at Woodridge Baptist Learning Center which, for those of you who don't know, is a child care facility and I absolutly love it. It seems to some people it is just a "job", but you really have to have a passion for children to be able to work with them on a daily basis. The kids I work with have impacted my life more than you could ever imagine.

Ever since I can remember I have always loved children and wanted to be an Elementary School Teacher. I have always had a passion for working with kids, hints the reason I chose my current job. I hope that when I gradutate and get my Education degree that I can go out into the schools and be an inspiration to my students just like my teachers were to me. I want parents to trust that when their children are in my class they are getting the best care and knowledge that I could possibly give. I want to watch my students grow as I would my own kids. Not only by age but also by intelligence.

I believe teachers not only teach children but they also teach us. Seems like the children in this century are more technologically advanced than anyone. Children are more likely to pick up how to work a computer, IPad, or IPhone quicker than say someone in their 30s or 40s. With that being said teachers that are going to be teaching in this century will have to go through more training or classes to be on the technological level of students and be ready for how advance they will already be when they enter your classrooms.

One of my biggest passions is working with and watching children grow and learn new obstacles or milestones. I hope to one day be an admirable teacher and I want students to look forward to coming into my classroom.

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