Blog Post #5 --Part B

Blog Post #5 Part B

Websites on Personal Learning Networks can be found all over the internet.  I was introduced to the concept of Personal Learning Networks in our EDM310 class.  It has been a concept that was easy to enjoy.   PLN's are a great way to help share  information with other people with the same interest.  The different  ways we share information is limitless.  My two favorite PLN's  are emailing and my new love, Twitter.

 Today, emailing sounds old fashion or out of date compared to other forms of sharing. I just love to send and receive email and all the attachments that go with them.  I love having a digital written correspondence to save or to share. I am constantly giving my email address  to others. I also leave my email on any opportunities if I think it is appropriate.  I love checking my email on my phone, my tablet as well as my laptop.  I love sharing a link or pictures with others in my PLN.

My new love for my PLN is Twitter.  I followed my instructor and the lab assistants on Twitter this semester and I learned a lot from them.  I added teachers and some educational blog pages to follow as well. This is a new way to see what others are doing quickly.  I still have a lot to learn, but that is what EDM310 taught us as well.  We are all learners , as well as teachers.   I hope to someday have good post on Twitter that is worthwhile to people who are following me.

I am at the beginning stages of my PLN compared to what I envision to have in my career.  I hope to be a positive contributor to my educational field.  I do believe that PLN's can make my teaching much more enriching that will only benefit myself as a teacher, but will also help my students as well.

C4K #8

April's Summary --Comments 4 Kids








c4k #8

 Seira 's Post of a book review on a book she read called Counting by 7's  by Holly Goldberg Sloan.  Seira gave a great detailed summary of the book which makes it seem very desirable to read. I sounds like a heartwarming story about  love, loss and family.

My Comment:

Hi Sierra.  My name is Tanya G and I am a student at the University of Alabama.  Your book report titled Counting by Sevens is very good.  You gave a great review of the story.  I love finding out that  there are good books for young readers.  This book would make a great read for many people young and older.  I hope you continue to enjoy reading and keep up the good work.  Great job.

Sierra is in seventh grade in Mrs. Lombard's class in Oklahoma.  Posting a blog about a  book that a  is a wonderful way to show other readers about a good book to read.  Many people read books through references from their friends or someone whose opinion is important to them.  Sierra did a great job.


c4k #9
Marvina's Blog Post was an answer to a class question. The questions was When did April Fools Day begin?
Marvina's Answer was The start of a new calendar in 1582.

My Comment:
April Fools Day
Marvina, Hi my name is Tanya G and I attend the University of Alabama. When asked how did April’s fools begin I do believe your answer of the new calendar in 1582 is correct. Great Job. Keep up the good work.

Marvina is a student at Holley Elementary School in British Columbia, Canada. She is in Mrs Gardner's class.  Posting answers on blogs can be a great tool for teachers to see how well their students understand the material being taught.

c4k #10

Monae's Bucket List is posted by Monae on her goals on her life.  She listed some wonderful mild stones both big in small that she plans to experience in her life.  She has a positive attitude and plans to  be a mature responsible productive adult.


My Comment:

Hi Monae, My name is Tanya G.  I am a student at the University of South Alabama.  I like your bucket list.  You have a very bright and positive future ahead of you.  I feel that having long and short term goals are very important.  You seem to be on the right track and keep up the good work.

Monae  is in Ms. Thomas's class at John Hansen French Immersion School in Prince George MD.   I liked the idea of students posting goals for themselves.  I is good for the students to visualize the future and have long and short term plans.  With these post, students can come back a later time and see if their goals have changed or have been met.

Blog Post #16 Part A

Project 16 Part A



Technology and Teaching

Technology is always changing, transforming and improving. We believe that technology in the classroom is key for success in getting students ready for college and a career. The earlier we start teaching them technology and working with it consistently, the better. When the students reach college and career level they will need to know technology skills to keep up. The main issue right now is that most schools are unable to provide students with the necessary technology tools. If schools were equipped to aid in technology and teaching, it would revolutionize the way students learn and communicate.

Group Blog--Team Panther--Using Technology and the Smart board in the Classroom

As a team we discussed how using technology in the classroom has come a long way.  No longer is there just a chalkboard and  notebooks and pencils.  Technology has moved into the classroom. Technology has entered the classroom in two outstanding forms such as smart boards and computers device with all the capabilities that go along with them. With the smart board, an oral presentation now can have visual material to go along with the lecture. The smart board still has the capabilities of a chalkboard but it gives the student and teacher options of pictures and shapes and even sound to go along with their written material. The computer device in a classroom also changes the dynamics of how learning can be achieved. With the computers devices the students can go to the internet and explore material that their teacher has assigned to them. The internet not only has written material, but the students may also be able to see pictures or even videos on the assigned material for their class.

A smart board and computer devices in the classroom has definitely changed the way we perform teaching, but using project based approach to learning is one of the main reasons this technology works so effectively in the classroom. Project based learning approach can be the format to which teachers guide their class through the assignments that she would have given them. The project base learning approach has many benefits.  It can be used by individual students, small groups or even by the entire class. There is no limitation on the degree to which a student can engage in the topic because the internet has a vast amount of information on the subject and related topics given to any assignment. Project base learning has moved the class from pencil and paper to the internet. The class is no longer limited to just the knowledge of the teacher but to the unlimited vast material on the internet concerning the assigned topic. The teacher, as well as the students then both become learners of the given assignment. Technology and project base learning have started an ever changing transformation in the classroom. The only sure thing about technology and project base learning is it will continually be changing the way our students will find new ways to learn.

Blog Post 14

Blog Post 14

Teaching Can Be a Profession By Joel Klein is a news article in the USA Today paper showing his brutal honest opinion of how teaching could be changed with a magic wand.  Klein ran New York City's public schools for almost a decade. The three problems associated with changing education that are listed in the article are Pick from the best, Seniority distraction, and Radical change.

Pick from the best in Klein's opinion is to start with better academics for teachers.  Klein is concerned about reading instruction taught to teachers. In Pick from the best Klein  also explains how advantageous it is to have the top graduates become teachers instead of other professions like doctors or lawyers. In Pick for the best, Klein lastly shows his distaste of how teachers are viewed as interchangeable personnel.

My opinion on the different components of Pick for the best vary.  I do think better instruction can help all teachers and future teachers.  I don't believe that you have to be in the top third of the graduate class to become a great teacher. I do agree that teachers should not be view an replaceable personnel.

Secondly is the argument of Seniority distraction. Klein explains, Seniority distraction is the problem in the way a school is run  due to job security and seniority. Bad teachers, Klein concludes cannot be removed, simply they are just put into less desirable schools.  Klein thinks that course work is one way to eliminate the problem of bad teachers.  In my opinion , Klein is correct that job security and seniority have held back our educational progress.  I do agree with Klein in that continuing education for all educators is a great way to overcome the bad teachers who stay due to seniority.  In my opinion, continuing education can only benefit both the teacher and their students.

Thirdly, Klein  refers to Shanker when  he calls his last point Radical Change.
Shanker proposed for the teachers to have their own personalized board of police.    I do think he is correct.  Like most professions, they have their own professional boards that the professional has to answer to. A few examples are the Board of Pharmacy, The Board of Nursing, and the State Board of Law.  I do believe, however that if you want to hold teachers to such high standards of professionalism, then in my opinion you need to treat them and pay them like a professional.

I do believe Klein is very clear on what needs to be fixed in our education machine that is broken in this country.  I was disappointed with the lack  of a time line or a formidable  plan to fix these serious grievances.  Maybe this is the start of fixing the problem, that is acknowledge that these elements, along with some others exist.  Until Americans make education a major priority, I believe the changes Klein wishes for will not happen soon.

C4T #4--April's Postings

C4T # 4 Post #1

Around the corner is a blog page of Miguel Guhlin  on which he posted on April 9th, 2015 a post titled Against the Wind: Hierarchy of No.  Guhlin explains how great creative ideas do not get implemented if not originating from the top of a chain of command.

My Comment:

Hi Miguel,  My name is Tanya and I am a student at USA in Mobile, Alabama. I enjoyed your post. I do believe that many of your readers can identify with having a great idea but don't feel like anyone "above" them will listen.

Miguel Guhlin describes how great ideas are often overlooked because the original source is not always at the top of the chain of command.  People with great ideas have a harder time expressing ideas to others and being well received if they are low on that chain of command.

Blog Post # 13

Blog Post 13

  My passion is History, but I feel EDM310 has been an ongoing learning assignment that is beneficial for every subject. EDM310 class is the ultimate Project Base Learning assignment all on its own.  In today's world I believe technology is now available to every grade level so using PBL in the classroom is a natural tool. I feel sure that most students embrace the electronic aspect as a part of their education.Being in groups or working alone, technology appears like a realistic approach to teaching students.

To have a blog post assignment concerning my specialty for the EDM310 class  I would instruct a history assignment. I found  great inspiration from Share My Lesson - Women's History Month which gave me some ideas on how to create a lesson for an assignment on Women is History.

The Share My Lesson web site had adjusted lesson plans for many different grades.  I would focus on 10th grade history.  I would have class individually go to the web site Women's history month of 2015 and  find an article relating to a person or event that interest them. . Each student is to make a small report  with word limitations and other instructions and to  complete their report with a picture on their topic or person.

Blog Post #12

C4T #3

C4T#3
Post 1

Ten ways to use Google Maps by Jeff Utecht
starts with the history of  maps.From paper maps to digital maps, students have a vast of avenues to use this tool.  Jeff shows that maps can be used in history lessons to find a route to a historical point of interest for the class. He shows how maps can be a math lesson with how many miles from one point to another and comparing shorter and longer routes. He also uses maps as  geography lessons on the different landscape that is in the world around us. Digital maps can make these lessons come alive.

Jeff's ten ways to use Google maps.

1. Latitude Longitude Scavenger Hunts
2. Earth Picker
3. Smarty Pins
4. My Maps
5. Video Tour
6. Create a map for your community
7. Create a route
8. Measure Distance and Area
9. See your World in 3D
10. Mobile Maps

My Comment:

Hi Jeff Utecht. Thanks for opening my eyes to all the ways to use Google maps can be used in the classroom. My name is Tanya and I am an education major at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I can see with some thought, Google maps can become a powerful tool to almost any classroom assignment, whether the assignment is a group or individual. Maybe as a history lesson I should pull out the old paper maps and show the class what people used as maps in the “old days”. Thanks for the great referral. I enjoyed your post.

In reading Jeff Utecht's post on Google maps.  I saw how with imagination and creativity that  a tool such as maps can be used with many different lesson plans.  I also liked how the maps can be used in groups as well as individuals. Jeff Utecht  was a great teacher to follow and I look forward to reading his future post.

C4T#3
Post #2

  Jeff Utecht made a beautiful tribute to his father on a post dated April 6, 2015. Jeff reveals that his dad suffers from Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD).  This post shows us a loving bond between father and son and their love for baseball. Jeff is not only an inspiring teacher, this post show how the two spent the day together sharing a passion and not letting anything like FTD stop them from having their memories of their time together.

My Comment:
Jeff,  Hi.  It is great to see a father and son sharing a passion together.  Both of you are very lucky.


I felt that this post shows how we can see  teachers who regularly post about their professional career also have other titles as well.  It is these great outside the classroom relationships that help mold and shape the great teachers, like Jeff in our world.  We have to remember that like our students there all types of teachers and like students they have ups and downs as well.  Life teaches us all this lesson. I really enjoy following Jeff Utecht.

Project #14

Project #14

Class Assignment:
The class is learning about the very first Presidential election for the United States. The students will get into small groups and come up with their very own campaign slogans for their candidate General George Washington.  At the end of the week each group will present a power point presentation with a set time limit. The students are challenged to use technology and creativity for this assignment.  On the last day  each group will then participate in a mock swearing in of the first President of the United States: President George Washington.  Followed by  a class discussion of review and reflection.

Documents Used:

Project Calendar

Project Checklist

Overview

Group Rubric

Individual Rubric

Blog Post #11

Blog Post #11

Back To the Future is a video with Brian Crosby.  Crosby is a thirty year plus teacher who is speaking about some exciting things he does in his classroom.  What I learned about teaching from Crosby is children now have the opportunity to set goals for themselves and build their own learning network.  I also realized that learning is not limited to books, but learning can come from hands on projects and sharing your work with others.   What I learned about learning from Crosby is how students share their is just as important as the work itself.  Crosby really shows you that teaching can become unlimited once the students' creativity  has the proper tools to use.

Mr. Paul Andersen has a video blog.  I watched his educational video on questions.  What I learned about teaching from Andersen is the three types of questions: factual, recall and application questions.  What  I learned about learning is  that kids respond to questions by using hands on projects such as gaming to help them understand the material.

 The video Blended Learning Cycle with Andersen is a video explaining how to use a blended cycle in a classroom.  He uses blended learning which consist  of online, mobile and classroom tools with the learning cycle of engage , evaluate, explore expand and explain. The blended learning combined with the learning cycle creates the blended learning cycle.  What I learned about teaching is how Andersen shows that this is a great way to present material and a great way for kids to learn.  What is I learned about learning is the Blended Learning Cycle will help with my teaching and the students learning in a very efficient manner.  Andersen goes on to explain the Quivers:
1.Question
2. Investigate/Inquiry
3. Video
4. Elaboration
5. Review
6.Summary /Quiz
I really liked his approach on making sure the students understood the material.  I am already thinking of how I could use this approach in my classroom.

Making Thinking Visible by Mark Church is a short video of how visualization enforces knowledge and ensures understanding. I learned  about teaching from Church that visualization is powerful to students.  I also learned  about learning from Church is  that students have really learned material if they can explain it back to the teacher or someone else.

Sam Pane 4th Grade is a video by the teacher Sam Pane using a program of Building Comics to teach his students to be good digital citizens. I can see where using visual comics is a great way of learning for students and using visual text and dialog. What I can learn about teaching from Pane is using technology individually and in small groups has great results. What I learned about learning is how Pane shows how sharing each others super villain and giving feedback.  Pane's class did this by taking a gallery walk  around the class.
The take away's from Pane's video are:
#1 Write narratives to develop imagined experiences or events.
#2 Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to text
#3 Ask and answer questions.
I really enjoyed Pane's approach to teaching by the children showing how their digital character make good choices.


Project Based Learning by Dean Shareski is a short informative video about combining classes.  History, English and a Computer Tech classes were blended  to make one block of time for the combined material. From Shareski's video I learned about learning is that in this particular project base learning classroom the students became more engaged learners and they had a deeper understanding of their subject matter.  What I learned about teaching from Shareski is the value of good quality feedback  I also saw how  time for projects gave students a greater chance of ownership of their work.

Roosevelt Elementary's PBL Program is a video about a great school showing the great impact PBL has made on their students.  To the teachers at Roosevelt, Project Base Learning is a style of teaching which creates:
-In depth learning
-Integrated thematic instruction
-Based on real world problems
-Research based
-Project and presentation

Roosevlet  shows  how its uses teacher collaboration, standard based guidelines and cooperative learning in their project based learning definition. What I learned about learning from Roosevelt is the importance of oral presentations for children at an early age can help the student as he becomes older.  What I learned  from the teachers at Roosevelt  is that children can obtain a more in depth understanding of the subject matter being presented to them.