Blog Post #10

Do You Teach Or Do You Educate?
I have actually been looking forward to writing this blog post. I was browsing the list of posts for the semester a few weeks back when I saw the video titled, "Do you teach or do you educate?" I have always believed that these two words might be synonyms; however, they are not interchangeable terms. The verb to teach gives a much more rigid connotation of learning than to educate. When studying the definition given in this video of "to teach," I felt as though this definition conveyed teaching as a boring profession, thus making learning a boring task for children. Educating is not about drilling facts into the students. Educating, as defined by google is "to give intellectual, moral, and social instruction to someone (especially a child.)" As educators, it is our job and hopefully our desire to build well rounded, thoughtful, upstanding children and instill in them an excitement to learn.
I hope to be known as an educator to my students, instead of just their 2nd or 3rd grade teacher. As this powerful video states, to be an effective educator one must "illuminate, inspire, and empower." I do not want to lose focus on the academic content my students should be gaining knowledge of in my classroom; I would simply like to present it in a way that excites them to learn it. I don't know all the ways I plan to do this yet, but I do know that this class has given me ample tools to answer that question. I hope to continue to learn and keep my educating fire lit in order to constantly have new ideas to inspire my children.
I also do not believe that educating focuses solely on the content at hand. I believe educating combines character building as well. This should be the fun part of teaching for us in the biz! We get to play with our students, nurture them, and guide them. This part of the profession can be so rewarding if done properly. The teachers I remember most are the ones who were there for me, who gave me sound advice, and guided me through a rough spot (whether it be with the subject matter or an area totally unrelated to academics). To educate is not to simply give students the information and let it fester in their minds; it is to show them how to find it, use it, and relate to it. There are numerous resources available that give children the ability to search for information, as well as tools for the teacher that will allow us to make learning more involved and interactive. I also believe it is key in educating for us to use these tools to the very best of our advantage in order to provide a valuable learning experience for everyone! This will further the character building by conveying the message that everyone's experience matters equally and no matter what the student's hinderance, he or she CAN and should learn in a fun environment.
Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home.
Funnily enough, when I first began reading Mr. Spencer's blog post, I could actually see an issue with students carrying pencils in their pockets (depending on the age, of course). I know my son is a little young to use as a reference, but whenever he gets a hold of a pencil, it's moments before he starts trying to poke himself in the nose or ear with it. I would have never dreamed that the issue this administrator was wishing to discuss was related to simply not using pencils because of test scores. That really makes about as little sense as having puppy dogs teach our students. I can't follow this logic to save my life. First of all, I should state that I don't entirely follow the logic of standardized tests to begin with, but that is a conversation for another day. Tom Johnson is very clear that he believes in exciting students to want to learn through whatever methods possible. He wants students to realize that learning can ignite a sense of accomplishment and enthusiasm. Students will only see this if education is delivered in a fun and interactive way. Pencils are not his main point. He is a very creative man, and that is exactly what our education field is in great need of. He is simply using a tool (a very common and inexpensive tool) to provoke a passion for learning.
The first point I noticed in this blog post was the complete unwillingness for change and further learning by Gertrude. Her statement, "It is what it is," is a perfect example of an administrator with no desire to understand the rules she is given. "If we don't know, let's find out," as a wise man once told me. Gertrude does not want to find out. She wants to coast along playing by the rules and thus adding no depth or flavor to her children's learning experience.
Mr. Johnson however, believes in reaching to the peaks of mountains to find a tool to enhance his children's desire to learn. He doesn't care what the tool is, only that it empowers his students to continue learning inside and outside of the classroom. I really enjoy his approach that students in low income areas consider pencils entertainment. He is trying to convey to his students that pencils can be used for entertainment and that entertainment can be educational as well. Hang Man may have an offensive title, but that's easy to change. Alter the game so the students are watching a flower grown instead of hanging a man, and VOILA! it's a beautiful game that could teach the parts of a flower and how to spell a word.
Mr. Johnson also brings up a good point to Gertrude when he questions her need for pencil accountability in the household. He doesn't believe that he needs to hold them accountable because he has enough faith in the projects he is providing for outside classwork and is also open to the projects they create on their own.
I really enjoy the constant learning, free thinking, yet still structured approach Mr. Spencer/Johnson takes on education as a whole and am really excited to add him to my PLN!

C4T #3

For these past comments on a teacher's blog, I have been reading the work of none other than our very own, Dr. Strange. In fact, I read the blogs that directly pertained to our class. They focused on satire and sarcasm (two of my very favorite literary devices) and plagiarism. We have all heard Dr. Strange's thoughts on these three subjects, but let's reflect. Dr. Strange voices his extreme shock and disgust with his young grasshoppers when some of us (35% to be exact) missed Scott McLeod's sarcastic nature in the blog "Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?" To some, Dr. Strange's critique of his student's lack of understanding might seem a bit harsh. However, sarcasm and satire are very important literary devices to teach children in order to add humor and depth to their creative writing, as well as important devices to know for teachers to deal with their student's attitudes.

Dr. Strange also touches on the subject of plagiarism. If any one of us were under the impression that plagiarism was not something to take seriously, Dr. Strange certainly should have changed our minds with his post and lecture in class. Plagiarism is considered stealing in terms of the law and something the author of the material will rightfully take very seriously. Dr. Strange gives us some great ways to ensure that we will not be charged with this heinous academic crime. Hopefully after reading Dr. Strange's advice, including always putting material quoted from another author in quotes and citing our source, we will be better equipped to avoid any charges of plagiarism. Another idea that could be very useful (and would allow students to dodge accusations at all) would be to get creative! Put someone else's thoughts in your own words! Interpret what the author says and make it your own.

Smartboard Presentation

Blog Post #9

What all did Mr. McClung learn?
While the idea to write a reflective blog post seems like a no-brainer, I am surprised at the teachers who rarely take the time to scan through their mind and extract the valuable lessons learned over the course of the year(s). I can't help but wonder if those teachers are really taking enough away from their profession. In my humble opinion, I can't think of a more rewarding career than to be a teacher, and I want to do everything in my power to take away all the beauty I can from this astounding profession. It should go without saying that the main source of joy for any good teacher comes from their children. I don't believe this is always the case, but it certainly seems to be with Mr. McClung.
Mr. McClung constantly refers to how important his students are to him throughout his years. During his first year, he states "he lost touch with his audience" and began making lesson plans that weren't quite as student centered. One important lesson I took from this experience of his, was that your audience has an audience too, and that audience is you! By this I mean, it is important to consider how your students view the lesson being taught, methods used, tools utilized, etc. more so than it is to worry if the lesson is flawless or if you look or feel silly teaching it. While it is extremely- and I mean extremely- important that future educators set out on a quest to make learning interesting for students, we shan't lose sight of their understanding. It is not impossible to integrate the two.
Mr. McClung also addresses the issue of communication. Communication, you say? Aren't we all in college and should know perfectly well how to communicate with others? Well now, we all know that is not the case (especially those of us who happen to be married). I fully believe that teachers should learn to communicate with one another, supervisors, superintendents, students, parents, extracurricular educators, and even bus drivers via technology but also face to face. When trying to create a comfortable environment where teachers feel supported, eye contact, body language, and tone are such important skills to master. This brings me to another one of Mr. McClung's points of interest. He speaks in regards to his last year of teaching that feeling supported by all of his teachers or administrators was not of utmost importance to him. He claims that he is ok not fitting in, and actually enjoys its ramifications. I have seen the "teacher clicks" with my own two eyes at the school where my mom teaches. I have seen and heard of teachers talking amongst themselves about which teacher is too involved, or which one is too loud, or which one doesn't make her kids mind, and the list could go on. I really enjoy Mr. McClung's point of view. He believes that as long as he is providing the best, most effective, and entertaining instruction for his students, then fitting in doesn't matter. He also states that he has one teacher he talks to on a regular basis. This teacher is his sole support and he draws a lot of inspiration from her. I really admire his ability to overcome the negative feedback or shots to his optimism. I can only hope that I will be able to overcome those obstacles and stay afloat in the same way.
Of course Mr. McClung also touches on technology and lifelong learning. He emphasizes what we have all been forced to realize this semester: educational tools- be they technological, artistic, or some other medium- are forever changing. Teaching is not a field where it is appropriate to sit back and just let the good times roll. There are so few constants in our world that we must constantly stay up to date for the sake of our children.
I really enjoyed reading Mr. McClung's reflective post and I believe it gave me a lot of great ideas and insight into what I have already learned from this class, as well as from my educational experience in general. Once again, the knowledge I gained from the media presented in this class has fired me up to be a teacher! Thanks, Dr. Strange, Mr. McClung, and Mr. Chamberlain!

Blog Post #8

This is How we Dream

So, call me naive but I feel as though Dr. Strange and possibly several other teachers (that I have yet to have as I am new to USA this semester) are doing a fantastic job of preparing us for the educational world Dr. Miller speaks of. Dr. Richard Miller has been a professor at Rutgers University for over 16 years and is the head of their English Department. He takes reading and writing very seriously and is more than prepared to modify those fundamental subjects to be shared within an instant, all around the world. Dr. Miller outlines a few "incremental changes" which include making print documents also visible online, enhancing projects with visual and audio components, and being able to see the news as it is happening via live feed from newspapers such as the New York Times.
I truly believe that my classmates and I have been a part of this revolution for quite some time. While there are still some classes that stick to the paper and pen, book learning technique, there are several others that encourage us to use web references, add pictures to our projects, find music that is relevant to our topic, and work with others in different regions via internet collaboration. While these classrooms may be considered too few and far between by multimedia enthusiasts, I believe it is better that we get there in small steps than to take none at all.
Dr. Miller also brings a compelling argument for what he believes to be a fundamental change. He feels that with the technology at hand allowing material to be instantly uploaded and composed from several different sources, shared globally, and even altered according to the viewer-in a separate production, we will be able to "push ideas into our culture" freely and instantly. I agree whole-heartedly when Dr. Miller states that information is not one's to capture and hold close forever. It is meant to circulate, change, and inspire just to name a few. He has an idea that because of our expanding worldwide web and the many different tools becoming available to us each day, there should be very few limits in the way we learn, collaborate, write, explain, teach, and simply live. Dr. Miller states in the second part of "This is How we Dream," that the "only limitations we are facing are the ones we put on ourselves." I'm beginning to see a pattern. Are you? Recall what Dr. Pausch said about brick walls. Dr. Miller's and Dr. Pausch's ideas seem to run parallel. The main idea being anything is possible! Dr. Miller goes on to insinuate that by sharing ideas with others and keeping our lines of communication open with educators throughout the world using various internet tools, our culture will come together in the name of multimedia writing and learning to produce a fascinating fundamental change in the name of education.

Carly Pugh's Blog Post #12
As I told Carly in my comment on her blog, I was really blown away not only by her idea but by the videos themselves. As I am someone with terrible decision skills as well, I could certainly see how this YouTube playlist idea made its way into Carly's mind. I would go so far as to argue that this is a phenomenal example of multimedia writing. First of all, Carly shared with many others (and did so instantly), her ideas on education and its philosophy in a creative way that will forever be visible on the internet. Her ideas will not die and will be circulated in the educational community. I really enjoyed watching her videos and some of them gave me a little inspiration for ideas on lesson plans and tools that would be infinitely helpful in the classroom. I feel just knowing about the YouTube playlist will open several doors for the way I will use video in my classroom. Thanks again, Carly!

The Chipper Series and EDM310 For Dummies
While I must admit that I found "The Chipper Series" really amusing, I would like to think that students who are mature enough to be enrolled in this class would be able to fully recognize the sarcasm portrayed by Ms. Jamie Lynn. However, while some students may realize the video is satirical, that is not to say it's not still happening. Chipper's journey seems similar to my first college experience. I really was not ready to be fully involved in college courses and I could not meet all the expectations I needed to, so I decided that waitressing was the way to go! Like Chipper says, it's great money! That's not really true at all. After finding this out the hard way, a husband, and a baby later, I'm back here sitting in Dr. Strange's EDM310 lab wishing that I knew how to NOT procrastinate. I must admit that I am exponentially better than a few years ago, but I know enough to know I could use some work.
I loved the idea of EDM310 For Dummies. I was seriously hoping this book really existed. I actually perused the internet hoping I would stumble upon something similar. No such luck. I think these girls do a fantastic job portraying the fright that is overwhelming at the beginning of this course.
I have been thinking recently of movies that I would like to create. I was having a hard time coming up with just one idea. My poor fickle brain had about twenty zillion ideas floating around that barely made one cohesive thought. And then it hit me! Why not do a sequel, so to speak of "EDM 310 For Dummies?" It could be compiled of tutorials by students on the many different aspects of EDM310 that freak everybody out! Students could be split into groups...maybe I'll stop right here and use this for my "Create your own project" post. I hope you get the general idea though.

Learn to Change, Change to Learn
This video really spoke to me from its very beginning statements. This video opens with profound statements such as the US being ranked last (55 out of 55 sectors surveyed) in terms of technological intensity. How could this statement not knock you out of your chair? It's horrifying! As stated in the video, education is ranked "after coal mining" in terms of its "IT intensiveness." Aren't educators prepping our children for the future? How do we possibly expect to do so if they develop such few technological skills in the classroom? We are entering an era where communication and literacy are being totally redefined. Children are learning these technologies but they are not learning them in the classroom. They need to learn the appropriate sites to venture for their security, how to create blogs, with whom they should be tweeting, how to master wordle, how to create a wikispace, and so much more. All these tools would be so beneficial to children of all ages, and yet somehow we ban the very machines that make this work possible in the schools. Teachers have to be on the verge of emerging technology as well. Even if students will not be allowed to participate in the e-learning experience at school, the teacher can certainly facilitate that type of learning outside the classroom.

Project 11-Short Movie

Project 12 Book Trailer

Project 9b A Fascinating Portrayal of a Fascinating Man- Theodor Seuss Geisel

Blog Post #7

The Last Lecture

Wow! First of all, I was very surprised that I could listen to an entire hour and fifteen minute lecture in one sitting! Randy Pausch was a computer science professor, practically unheard of until he delivered his "Last Lecture" in September of 2007. Less than a year after this lecture on Achieving Your Childhood Dreams was given, Randy died due to complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 47 years old and left behind a beautiful wife and 3 young children. The irony of this lecture is that the title was not created for Dr. Pausch specifically. The premise for this lecture had been in place for years. Professors were asked to give a lecture on anything, and deliver it as if it were going to be their last. However, this proposition was a bit too real to Randy Pausch.

This picture is a perfect portrayal of how Randy Pausch lived his life. Your family can do incredible things too!

When I first started listening, I was a little upset that he wasn't going to talk about his wife and children and put on a sob story. I was ready for a real emotional roller coaster. I even had tissues sitting by the computer. The message he delivers is so much more powerful, though. As Dr. Pausch exclaims at the end of his lecture, "it is not about achieving your childhood dreams, it's about how to live your life!" I truly admire the fact that he went to great lengths and took tremendous pride in helping other's achieve their dreams as well. He believed very strongly in giving students the freedom to learn. He speaks of being surprised with what his undergraduate students could do with limited tools and limited time. Yet, instead of letting the students know about his complete shock, he sets no bar for how high they will soar. I can think back on my earlier college days and wish that this same method was applied to me. If I knew exactly what was on a test, exactly what had to be included in a project, I certainly stuck to JUST that. Now, I think of EDM 310 as an example. I know the minimum of what is expected of me but I also know that won't get me the grade I'm striving for. I know that I need to put forth as much effort as I possibly can and investigate with many tools and great fervor. I'm under the assumption that I need to continually push myself and do more in order to get an "A." It's the unknown that makes me work harder. Throughout his entire lecture, it is written all over Dr. Pausch's face how much joy he gets out of his student's work. It is really apparent that he enjoys his subject matter but most importantly his students. He remembers many students by name and course, which is shocking since he stated his memory was not up to par. He truly believes teaching is a privilege.
Dr. Pausch states that "pioneering" will result in many arrows in one's back and often times what can go wrong, will. It is all worth it though for the fun and the learning. This is such a positive and contagious lesson to learn! There are so many endeavors, or simply days I have had that did not go "my way" in the least. This lecture taught me to look at the bigger picture of it all. One of the main facets of this lecture that I plan to use in my career is what a huge influence peer feedback is because it helps us to become self-reflective. While it may take time for some of us to recognize this feedback as constructive and get off the defense, once that is accomplished self reflection will be the greatest tool to success. Dr. Pausch says when you are doing something wrong and no one is there to correct you, they have given up on you. I believe this to be a very valuable lesson to all those Defensive Debbies and Dans out there. Criticism is not meant to bring us down, but rather to help us rise up and use that advice to build on our character and skills.
I also loved the photographs of his old boyhood bedroom. I must say I fully agree with granting your children freedom to express themselves at any age, in almost any way. Having said that, I am currently in a battle with my child against coloring in Sharpie on every surface in the house. I'm not exactly sure what he's trying to express though. Dr. Pausch has such a phenomenal outlook on difficult tasks. It seems as though he rarely views anything as an impossibility. In fact, Dr. Pausch even states that it is fun to do the impossible. These simple ideas are the key to making our lives and days easier to get through. If we can stop treating every mole hill as a mountain, tasks will be so much more manageable.
The aspect of this lecture I could relate most to was Dr. Pausch's idea of a "head fake." He states the most powerful way to teach someone something is to make them think they are learning something much easier. I recently experienced this for myself. At the start of this semester it would seem that I was merely setting out to learn how to become an elementary teacher and I was fired up to kick off the school year. This is just the tip on my iceberg of obstacles so far. First off, I was forced to put my child in daycare which is something we swore would never happen until preschool. The hardest lesson I am learning this term is to walk out of the classroom as my son stares up at me with the most beautiful, piercing, sad eyes. Of course I am learning how to manage my time between work, family, and school as well, and create a new budget due to the decrease in my work hours. If only I could have continued faking myself into thinking it was just about my career. That's one reason that degrees are so essential. College is not just about the classes you attend, but the life lessons you pick up and carry with you forever.
Dr. Pausch had an amazing way of captivating an audience and along the way outlined the characteristics of an amazing teacher. This is without a doubt a lecture that should be watched by anyone entering the teaching profession. He gives such vivid examples of why our educators must possess integrity, humility, perseverance, optimism, gratitude, and understanding. This message cannot be ignored!

Project #10 1st summary of My PLN

When I first heard of a PLN, I really thought it only applied to the neat layout we saw that intelligent 7th grader put together. Upon further investigation, I realized that everyone has a PLN whether they realize it or not. As wikipedia states, "a personal learning network consists of the people a learner interacts with and derives knowledge from." While a personal learning network does not have to consist of just people, I believe it is very beneficial for educators specifically to surround themselves with others in the same field in order to derive new and exciting ideas on how to engage their students. Let's face it, making learning exciting for students is no walk in the park!
I am currently getting some very unique ideas from the student, class, and teacher blogs that I have been researching for this class. The class blogs with wikispaces, puzzles, videos, and many more interactive tools are becoming very useful resources for me. I am also enjoying Twitter. However, to be entirely honest, I feel as though I could obtain far more support and knowledge from Twitter if I devoted a bit more time to it. I also enjoy the Educator's PLN website. I have found many videos, lesson plans, and other educators here that I believe will continue to be a support group for me throughout me career. Google Docs (a tool I was just introduced to via this class) has become one of my most visited pages in order to store most of the documents received in my e-mail, as well as to keep up with my project due dates for EDM310. The EDM 310 class blog is another one of my most frequently visited pages. I have also been thinking of many ways that I could incorporate Timetoast into my lesson plans. I really enjoy the idea of an interactive time line that requires online research with links, and pictures.
My PLN differs greatly from when I first entered this class. I find it amazing how many tools and resources I have found that will help me in the future. I know that I will continue to enhance the tools I have already been given, investigate new ones, and hopefully contribute to other's personal learning environment as well.

C4T #2

Mr. John Burrows

Like Dr. Strange has tried to drill in our fickle little minds, reading teacher's blogs is a fantastic way to build our PLN as educators and see new creative ideas for our future classrooms. I recently reviewed a class blog kept up by Mr. John Burrows and was very pleased to see some of the work he is engaging his students in. I am also quite interested in his personal photography page since my husband is in the process of starting his own photography company and website. Check out Mr. Burrows' very unique pictures on this website.
In his classroom, Mr. Burrows takes some very interesting approaches to integrating arts and education. For one project he had his students research mythical creatures and create them out of clay. He remarks on his student blog that the students who struggled with 2D work did exceptionally well with 3D work. I can certainly understand this obstacle as I am no good at pen and paper; however, give me some play-dough and you sure would be surprised! The student's sculptures were weird, neat, inventive, and seriously showed their imagination. I also enjoy the fact that he had them do some research before just setting forth on their clay journey. I believe it's important to integrate art in the academic classroom as well as vice versa. Plus, once learning a bit about these creatures, the students had a better grasp on how to portray them. For example, one student sculpted Buddha and added some very intricate beads around his neck. I certainly would be proud to call that my student's artwork.
The next blog post of Mr. Burrows' I commented on was his student's own portrayal of a still-life he had set out across two desks. Once again, he did not simply give the students a topic to draw. He set out figures across two desks and the students were to draw their own interpretation using only pen and paper. Some of the students drew the entire span of the desks, while some only drew one particular figure that stood out to them. It was apparent to me that the children were very engaged in the work Mr. Burrows was having them do. They really seemed to put a lot of effort into it and it really was a pleasure to look at each one in detail. These students shocked me at what could be done with just pencil and paper.
I truly enjoy taking a look at the different projects different teachers do with their students. Another reason I really am enjoying this class is the variety of educators we are coming in contact with. Had I not been introduced to this class, I don't know that I would have thought to investigate high school art teacher's projects. I'm learning not to limit myself and investigate!!