Additional Assignment 5

Just Teach them to Solve for X uses metaphors which maybe hard to catch I know I had to read it a couple times to catch it. And by using this form of solving for X involves how many teachers use the same way to teach basic skills to students, and by letting them solve for X may give them a new form of teaching. Sketchy portraits tells how eighth graders all have their own identity no matter how screwed up they may seem with their own set of emotions to go along with them. And all students want to do at that age is find a belonging or place that they belong in. He Just Likes the Class for the Pencils stresses how important it is to have a good teacher to student relationship with each student in your classroom. Allowing for teachers to have one on one conversations with each students allows the students to grow comfortable and trust their teacher. The Medium Shapes the Learning talks about how students like to do the most work that requires the least effort out of them. And so when Mr. Spencer assigns a lesson to the students, he does not want them to just slide by he wants them to put effort and thought into it.

Blog Assignment 13

ALEX is a website that is used to devote information to parents, teachers, students, and administrators who can all benefit from the information available.  The website is broken into eight categories so that who is every searching for a specific topic can find it with ease.  The eight categories are web links, lesson plans, courses of study, search, professional learning, personal workspace, podcast treasury, and ALEXville. The one I found very user friendly was the ones for lesson plans. All one has to do is click on the grade level and subject and follow the links and it will provide you with an Alabama State lesson plan. Another one that I really enjoyed learning about and will use in class would be the podcast treasury, mainly because it allows students to get more involved with learning. Then there is course of study, which basically provides the Alabama content standards for each subject. With all of these categories broken up it gives everyone a better opportunity to learn.

With the ALEX website I believe it would be a great asset due to all the information it provides, especially since I would be a new teacher.  Say for instance I could not come up with a lesson plan or a question about a specific standard.  I would not have to worry because all I would have to do is go to the ALEX website and go into what specific category suites my needs.  This website is great for all new teachers just for that reason and many others similar to that.  Because once you are fresh out of school with your first class you do not now what to expect.  So if worst comes to worst just use the site as a guide until you feel comfortable on your own.

ACCESS which is a distance learning program that provides recovery courses for students statewide.  ACCESS uses both interactive and web based online course formats for student uses.  These courses are taken during the day at school taught by trained facilitators.  The purpose of having ACCESS available for students to learn is so they can develop and learn to improve their skills by distant learning.  I believe this is great for all students especially  for those who maybe having a harder time more than others.

Project 15

Blog Assignment 12

Blog Assignment

Parents, teachers, and other professionals all have mix emotions about the amount of technology children should have exposed to them while in the younger stages of life. With this assignment there are a couple videos that you need to watch and answer the questions that go along with the video.

How is Technology Changing Kids Brains

Are Kids Losing Skills Due to Technology

Is all this Technology Good for Our Kids?

By viewing these three videos they all discuss the good and the bad about allowing children to use technology. Answers the following questions below after viewing the above the videos.

1. What is your opinion of the above discussions in each video?
2. Would you allow your children to begin using technology at a young after watching those videos?
3. Do you agree with Mr. Dovers explanation of the brain?
4. Would you agree that technology takes away from other skills learned?
5. Should technology continue to be made a teaching tool?
6. What do you believe the pro's and con's of technology are to you?

My completion of the assignment

1. The first video was talking about how kid's brain's are changing to due to technology and how after it is used in their everyday lives. Although there are some instances in that does occur I do not believe it fully affects the way our children think. Children change rapidly with age and with that so does their brain technology is not the cause. The second video discusses how children may be losing other skills due to using to much technology. Although they make some good points I do not believe children lose any skills in the classroom or outside playing sports. The last video was a sit down talk that went over some of the more positive outlooks for technology and their young users. And I do agree that certain technology can be very useful in the learning environment.
2. Yes I would. I do believe they should be restricted to a decent time period allotted. Because it could be a great learning tool for math, reading, and other important things as well.
3. Yes and not just because that is his field, but because he knows what he is talking about. He is just stating that children and their brain's keep changing as more information is added. Although technology is good being exposed to, to much over a short time can cause other problems, such as becoming hooked on technology and then letting it run your life.
4.No I do not believe that mainly just because once children learn things it is pretty much stuck with them. For instance, tying your shoes or riding a bike, these type of skills are embedded in a child's brain.
5. Yes because children learn more and more through the efforts of technology. So why should it be taken away from the child if it is helping learn more quickly or retaining information better.
6. Pro's
Great learning tool
Allows them to learn different things more simply
Con's
Can affect their social life
Could hurt them academicly

Progress Report on Final Project

  Project 16 is going to be an interesting project to complete.  Not that it is hard but you the student is not told what to do you and your partner are on your own.  I think that me and my partner are going to come up with some great ideas.  Right know we are watching the links that Dr. Strange recommended that we watch.  We are hoping to come up with a conclusion on what we want to do in a day or two. 

Analysis and Commentary On Project 6

The questionnaire that I gave was made up of questions that pertained specifically to how students were enjoying their classes so far, and how they thought Dr. Stranges EDM 310 class would or would not help them later after they graduate. Although these questions may have seemed unnecessary they really did play a role. Mainly, because students or soon to be teachers need to learn all the new technology and advances that are coming.
After reviewing and analyzing the responses that the students gave I truly believe a lot of students are going to be taking a lot of information from EDM 310 and use in their future plans. Although some said they were just going to get an "A" and nothing else they will soon realize how much this class and enjoying themselves on and in their classes will be vital to their future employment.
While reviewing the results I also noticed that a lot of people are very serious about their education because instead of going out every night and hanging out with friends a lot of students are busying studying or working to pay for school. A lot of students chose this school not because of its great academics, but because its either close to their families or they got a scholarship of some sort.
So all in all I have learned a lot. There are a lot of hard working college students out their trying to achieve one similar goal in life. That is to make something great out of themselves and to graduate with a college to degree to get that dream job in life. With everyone pushing for that one goal there may be more competition out there than some people seem to think. So while on your journey here at South strive hard, and never give up.

Project 14

Blog Assignment 11

Watching this video of how interactive these children are in Mrs. Cassidy's  classroom.  The way the children want to learn make learning computers worth the hard times that come with learning computers so late like I have.  If putting computers, skype, short video's, and other great things into the classroom helps the students want to learn instead of just sit there listening to a teacher lecture about things that they could be doing on computers I am all for it.  I know that if I had computer interaction when I was in school, I feel like I would be more prepared for things.  Like the children introducing computers to them at such a young age is great that way they will have a better understanding of them and their computers skill will continue to blossom.  So the techniques are great especially how everyone know how to blog and interact great with the computers sites and things. Some things that may be an issue is unwanted junk mail and things that are inappropriate for children to see, with that issue just put a block on it.

Summary Post C4K Comments 3-7

On comment three I had a little boy named Onasa'i the blog I read was a short story he wrote himself about a young boy who wanted to follow in his dad's foot steps and become a pirate as well.  Through his struggles of getting his dad's approval he had to go through several different tasks to become just like his dad.  Also through his blog they have been learning about bee's, spider's, and other insects as well.
Comment four was a girl named Varsha her blog was about the favoring about boys or girls in general.  About how boys get away with more than girls do.  And by the time you think men are at a decent age they surprise you by showing you that no matter the age men are still boys who are childish in a sense.
Comment five was a student who went by Bunny Boo's Blog and his real name is Tyler.  His post was about his adventure with his family on a camping trip and all the neat things they got to do, for instance went to the waterfall and road in wagons.
Comment six Chino was who I was suppose to blog to. His blog was very sweet and detailed, Chino talked about how he and his family celebrated his father's birthday. 
Comment seven was with Heath G.  He blogged about how they used pumpkins to discuss math in class, which I thought was very neat.  Because they got to have fun and learn at the same time.
With all these blogs I did with these different student's it really is great to be able to see how they interact with not only computers and the internet, but they also take so much in from their great teacher's and school's.

Summary Post C4T 3

Mrs. Caren Carrillo was the teacher I was assigned to comment about.  Her blog was very interesting and it made me really think of what still I would might like to use when deciding on what tool to use for keeping track of my students achievements and things.  Her choice was the rubrics, which I thought was a very easy and understandable device in especially with so many students.  Reading her blog was very informative for my future decision making on keeping track of students work and things.