Blog Post #13

The Alabama Learning Exchange is designed to compile educational materials and information into a time-saving one-stop resource for teachers and administrators in Alabama. Its goal is for Alabama students to reap the benefits of Alabama educators sharing their wealth of expertise and knowledge with colleagues. Since January 2007, on a monthly basis, over one million teachers, students, school leaders, and parents from Alabama and around the world access ALEX's fun, engaging interactivities-doubling previous usage rates. It is funded in part by USDOE Enhancing Education Through Technology, Title II, Part D grant as part of the five percent administration funds for the Alabama Department of Education.

The ALEX homepage has seven links to navigate the website. They are Courses of Study, Web Resources, Lesson Plans, Search, Professional Workspace, Podcast Treasury, and ALEXville. There are links people can go to where they can learn more about ALEX and Thinkfinity training opportunities, view past presentations, or search for grants, They can also visit Alabama Department of Education Program Websites to find professional development opportunities, teaching, and learning tools, the latest news, best practices and more. There are also pages to find tips, tricks, and tutorials on a variety of technology tools.

This is such a great tool for educators. I plan to use this tool when I become a teacher. I think that there is so much that we can learn by listening to other educators. We get to see the different ways teachers choose to teach. By keeping our minds open to the different ways educators teach, we are able to learn new and different ways to teach our students that we might have never thought of.

Additional Assignment #5

He Just Likes the Class for the Pencils

The main idea in this post is that ultimately, it's about trust and purpose. If we want our students to trust us, we have to be able to take the time to listen to them, so we can really get to know them. If we treat our students with respect, more than likely that is what we will get in return. The students aren't going to like us just because of some technology we use in our classroom that their other teachers do not use. They will like or not like us based how we treat them. If we don't care about what they have to say, more than likely, they will not care about what we have to say to them.



The Medium Shapes of Learning

In this post, the main idea is that we can't just pick a certain kind of technology we want to use to teach a lesson. We have to realize that the medium we use to get the information to our students can change the message if we choose the wrong one. Just because a certain medium may be more fun than another one, doesn't mean that it is the better choice.

Sketchy Portraits: 8th Grade Identity and Pencils

I think that the main idea in this post was about realizing that the students are at different ages, and they are experiencing different things in life. A fourteen year-old, for example, yearns for freedom and yet still clings to the safety of childhood. A first grader gives unexpected hugs, ignoring the rules of space and they interrupt you when they are excited. They aren't doing this to be rude. It's simply because of their age. They haven't reached an age where they learn these types of things yet. We have to understand that they are still children, and they are growing up and learning all the things we have already learned or been through. We should be more understanding.

Just Teach Them to Solve for X

In this post, I think the concept he is trying to get across is that sometimes we have to change the way we look at something, so we can better understand what we are looking for. Instead of using "x" as the variable in the math problem, he has his students create metaphors for the concept of "x". He wants them to understand how variables work, because if they don't understand how "x" is used, they won't understand how it is used in life. There are many different ways to go about teaching something. Teaching isn't always conventional. Sometimes we have to change the way the problem is seen, so the students have a better chance of understanding. It's amazing how we can not understand something looking at it as "x", but when we change the "x" into something that's real and not some "magical number", we can understand it a lot easier.

Project # 6 Form Summary and Analysis

  "You Can Have This Super Power...But" Google Form


I created the form titled "You Can Have This Super Power...But". In this form, people had the option of having a super power, but the power came with a consequence. Everyone had to answer ten of these questions. The questions are as followed: 1. You can have invisibility, but when you are not invisible, you are blind. 2. You can have angel wings, but when the wings come in or out, you will feel the worst pain you have ever felt. 3. You can fly, but you can't walk. 4. You can travel through time, but you can't pick the time period to which you travel. 5. You are telepathic, but you are also a mute. 6. You are a shape-shifter, but not even you know what your original form looks like. 7. You can heal instantly, but when you heal, the pain is twice as bad as the injury. 8. You are pyrokinetic, but you will never be able to quench your thirst. 9. You have super speed, but you are very clumsy. 10. You can heal others, but you take on their affliction for thirty minutes for it to dissolve away. Everyone had to answer each question with a yes or no answer. The answers to the questions are as follows: 1. No- 15 Yes-4 2. No-18 Yes-1 3. No-12 Yes-7 4. No-9 Yes-10 5. No-14 Yes-5 6. No-13 Yes-6 7. No-9 Yes-10 8. No-18 Yes-1 9. No-11 Yes-8 10. No-6 Yes-13

 For this project, I wanted to do something different. My questions didn't require any previous knowledge of anything. They are simply questions of whether or not someone is willing to sacrifice something to have an awesome super power. Even though these questions seem to simply be yes or no questions, I think the answers say a lot about the people who answered them.

 The majority of the people chose "no" for most of the questions. For seven out of the ten questions, the majority of the answers given was "no". I think this says a lot about people. Most people want to be extraordinary in some way, but they aren't willing to have the troubles that go along with the 'powers'. Nothing is given to us without its troubles. It is up to us to determine if we are willing to go through the troubles to have the power that we want. I think it's really interesting to hear people's different answers. Some people were much more willing to accept the consequence that came with the powers than others were. People only answered yes to a few of the questions. I'm really glad that we got to come up with our own questions for this project. I was really able to think outside of the box, and I really enjoyed coming up with these questions and seeing people's answers.

Project #16 Progress Report

I am working with my friend and classmate, Laura Scott, for project # 15. We are also working on the final project together. We are currently focused on project #15, but we are brainstorming ideas for the final project as well. We are looking forward to what we come up with. Thanks!

Blog Post #12

My Assignment: Watch these two videos about introducing ipods into special education. We have watched videos and read posts about how technology has helped the regular education classroom setting. Now we see how the same technology (the ipod) also helps the special education classroom setting. Write your reaction to the videos in a post on your blog.

Introducing iPods into Special Education

Priceless

Technology for Special Education Video 
We have watched many videos and read many posts about technology and why it should be incorporated into the classroom setting. We haven't really talked about how technology works wonders in the special education classroom setting. In the first video about introducing iPods into special education, Vicki Nelson tells us about how she started using the iPod in her special education class. Most of Ms. Nelson's students suffer from a hearing loss, or they are non-verbal. She used the iPods as a communication device training for the students to use at home. She said that many of the students came back to school knowing things that she hadn't taught them yet. This just shows that the students really want to learn. They just need it given to them in a way that interests them. She then started video taping the interpreter signing the vocabulary words from each subject. This way the students can take the videos home, so their parents can learn how to sign and understand what their kids are bringing home and signing. Then, the interpreter started signing the stories in the books they were reading. The video of this helps the students with comprehension. Another great way Ms. Nelson used the iPod in this video was as a video portfolio. These are used as communication logs between staff and the student's parents and as a record of communication between staff and the student's parents. The parents could listen to the voice memo left by Ms. Nelson. Then, they could record a response and send it to school with their children. I loved the story she told about a voice memo she got from one of her student's sister after watching a video of her brother. The memo said, "Wow! He's really smart!" I think it's cool that the special education students are able to show their families how hard they are working and how much they are improving. I think that it is amazing how we can use technology that was initially only thought of as a device to listen to music and turn it into a tool used to help special education students. It's all about the different ways we look at things.

In the second video, priceless, it is a remake of the MasterCard commercials. Out of all of those commercials and remakes of those commercials, this is my favorite one. It shows different costs of technological devices used in special education and the cost of a great teacher. Then it shows a special education student on one of the devices and says, "Seeing a child do what no one thought they would: priceless." I think this is so true. Even though you can technically put a price on the devices this child is using, it doesn't matter what the price is, because this student is accomplishing something that no one thought he would be able to do. It's great to see technology helping in regular education, but to see a special education child accomplish something that others said one wouldn't be able to do is so heart warming. I thoroughly enjoyed watching these two videos, and I hope more people get a chance to see them.

Summary Post C4T Teacher #3

Michael Kaechele

I read Michael Kaechele's blog from Michigan. The first post I read was "Ode to Concrete". In this post, he described the beauty of concrete that is overlooked on a daily basis. He tells about the different ways to use concrete. He says that concrete is chemistry and science at its finest. He also says that concrete is technology. I had never thought of concrete as technology before now. He says that concrete is hard, and it is sidewalk that scratches knees. I loved this reference to scratching knees. That's the only thing I thought it was good for as a child. I commented that I had never thought about the many different ways of looking at concrete, and I was definitely one of those people who have taken it for granted. I also told him how his post allowed me to see the beauty in concrete that I had never seen before.

The second post of Michael's that I read was "The Alchemist and Louis L'Amour". In this post, he described the book The Alchemist. He asked, "Do we allow space in schools for pursuing dreams?" I agree with him that teachers are too busy covering curriculum and meeting standards, and that standardization drowns out passion and crowds out dreams. He talks about how in the book, Santiago uses many different channels of learning. He learns by living life and observing life and nature everywhere, much like Mr. Kaechele's favorite author as a child, Louis L'Amour. I commented that I agreed with him about standardization. I think that it's very important to encourage imagination and creativity in our students. All of the wonderful advancements our society has had over the years weren't accomplished due to people thinking like everyone else, standard way of thinking, rather, it was due to people thinking like nobody else, creative and imaginative way of thinking.

C4K #3-7 Summaries

C4K #3


This student talked about Captain James Cook. He was the first person to sail from Europe to New Zealand. He was also the first to land on New Zealand's coastline. I commented that I didn't know that Captain Cook was the first person to do this. I also said that it was a great post and to keep up the great work.

 C4K#4

This student was asked to describe the area in which she lived. She described Melbourne, Australia. She described it as a place full of lushes green growth, natural scenery everywhere you look, with birds, insects, and kangaroos. She told us about the many famous places and people Melbourne has given the world. I told her that she used very descriptive words in describing the look of Melbourne. I told her that I wish I could wake up to the same picture she has drawn, and I hope she keeps up the good work.

C4K #5

Akhil talked about his blog in this post. He said that he liked to watch movies, read, play basketball, and ride his bike. His favorite football team is the Steelers, because they win a lot. I told him that it is great that he tries to his best. I also told him that I also love watching movies and reading, and I think riding his bike is a great way to exercise and have fun at the same time. I said that I don't watch the NFL, but I hope that the Steelers keep on winning. I also commented that he had an awesome blog and to keep up the good work.

C4K #6

This post was a riddle that Daniel S. wrote. The riddle was: I like bananas, I swing in trees, and I pick bugs off babies. Who am I? I commented that he had given some very good clues. Then I gave my answer to his riddle, a monkey. I told him that he had a great blog and to keep up the good work.

C4K #7

In this post, Kylie B. talked about a math project that she was supposed to bring an apple to class for. She didn't have one, but her mom said she would get one. Unfortunately, she didn't get one. Her teacher put the kids in to groups of kids with red apples, kids with green apples, and kids with mixed colored apples. She put the kids who didn't have apples in to the groups of kids with apples. She cut the apples, and they counted the seeds. She said it was then time to go, but she had a lot of fun. I commented that I was sorry that she didn't get to bring an apple like she wanted, but I was glad she had fun. I told her that I've always thought it was cool that when an apple is cut in half, it looks like a star. I said that I like the pink font she used. I told her that her blog looks really good and to keep up the good work.

Blog Post #11

Ms. Cassidy's Approach to Using Technology in the Classroom

     Ms. Cassidy, person on the left in above picture, is a great example of how teachers can use technology in the classroom. Her students write blogs, make wikis, make videos, use Skype, and use the Nintendo DS. Her students get excited that the blogs they write will be read around the world. They are excited that somebody wants to see what they write. I think this is a great way to get students excited about writing, no matter what they are writing about. They get to see on a cluster map where it is that people are viewing their blog from. They also get to see the number of times their blogs are read. I really liked the part in the video that showed them playing on the Nintendo DS. They played Nintendog, a game where they had a pet dog they had to take care of. They said that it helped them to be better problem solvers. They also said that it taught them how to share, which isn't something many people would think they could learn from a game on a hand-held gaming device.

     As a high school English teacher, I would like to incorporate the use of blogging in my classroom. I think it would be a great way for them to share writing assignments with the rest of the world. I think that some students might be more willing to hear what other people have to say about what they write, not only what I have to say as their teacher. I also think that they would work harder on what they write, instead of only doing what is necessary to get it done, because it will be accessible by the whole world. I think a problem I might encounter is that students get on websites that they are not supposed to be on while they are working. A way I could address this problem is to try to keep a closer eye on them. Also, the school places restrictions on certain websites in which they can access. There might be problems in using technology that we can't anticipate, but if we don't try just because there might be problems, we aren't doing anybody any good. As Ms. Cassidy put it, "You are handicapping your students and yourself by not taking advantage of the tools available."

Additional Assignment #3

Sir Ken Robinson: Educational Change in Paradigms

• I think the most important thing he talked about is that we are getting our children through education by anesthetizing them. More and more children who go to the doctor and say they have a hard time paying attention and can't sit still are given a prescription for Ritalin when ADHD probably isn't the problem causing the symptoms.
• I don't think there was anything that I disagreed with Sir Robinson on. I went back through the notes I took and referred back to the video, and I couldn't find anything he said that I disagreed with.
• The agreement and disagreement is that great learning happens in groups. Robinson says that collaboration is the stuff of growth, which I believe to be true ass well. I think that this is the only class out of four education classes I've taken where I have completed an assignment as a part of a group. 
• I think the best thing to do is get the word out there about these problems. These aren't things that should only be taught to future teachers. If more people were educated on these issues and spoke up about them, I think that more people holding elected positions might try harder to help with the government element of these problems, such as standardized testing.
• I really enjoyed the presentation. I thought that it was a very creative way to talk about the issues. 
• I would most like to play the part of the author. I like writing, and I believe that I do it well.

Blog Post #9 (Out of Order)

Mr. McClung :"What I've Learned This Year"

I really enjoyed reading this post, and I agree with everything Mr. McClung wrote about. The first two things he talked about were about having a plan that is centered around the student and being able to be flexible with some things. These are two things that I have had to learn how to do for campers, which take the place of the students in my scenario. The past two summers I have volunteered as a camp counselor at Camp M.A.S.H., which is a camp for children with juvenile arthritis. The director of the camp would always tell us that we needed to "check ourselves at the door" and be flexible. That week wasn't about us and how tired we got, instead it was about the children and what we could do to make that week the best week they could have. We also had to be flexible, because not everything goes as planned during a week-long summer camp, especially when you add in the fact that every camper has a medical condition. I think this also applies to what he mentioned about having lesson plans that are student centered and driven by the audience.

My favorite thing about his post was when he said, "Our job as teachers is to simply pick them up after they fail, dust them off, and encourage them to try again." I think this is so true. We aren't only teaching the students about the different subjects. We are also teaching them about life and how to be future members of our society, and, like it or not, failing is a part of life. He also says that we shouldn't be afraid of technology. I think that people who are "scared" of technology are more scared of change or the unknown. The people who are scared because of the change really need to understand that things are going to change with or without them, and the best way to deal with it is to change as well, if it is for the better. For the people who are scared of the unknown, it is a lot less scary if you just go ahead and learn what the technology is and how to use it. Once they do, they will realize that there was nothing to be scared about.

I think teachers should take his advice to listen to and take interest in the student. This is so important, because I believe that if we are genuinely interested in listening to what our students have to say, then they will be more willing to listen to what we have to say. Honestly, doesn't seem like this is something that is very hard at all. A lot of what students have to say is very interesting. You may hear opinions or ways of seeing things that you might never have if it wasn't for the students who weren't afraid of having and voicing their opinions and views, because they knew that you were genuinely interested in what they had to say. The last thing Mr. McClung talks about is that teachers should never stop learning. I fully believe this statement. I think that once teachers stop being willing to accept new ideas and learn about ways to improve the way they teach, they stop being the best teacher they can be. Through this blog, Mr. McClung has not only shared what he has learned, he has also shown us that a good teacher doesn't stop learning. He learned that there were better ways of doing things than the way he was doing them, and he wasn't afraid to change. After reading his post, I believe that Mr. McClung is a good teacher. He has lived as a teacher for the past year, learned about how to be a good teacher over the past year, and is now passing on the knowledge to all of us, so we can be good teachers in the future.