Steven Anderson wrote about Formative Assessment in his Web 2.0 Blog. He talked about different kinds of ways to get students to tell the teacher when they didn't understand something. They could use Post It notes on a wall or several different kinds of web-based formative assessements. He explained the assessments. There is Wallwisher, Lino, TodaysMeet, UnderstoodIt, and many more.
The Wallwisher and Lino provide an online corkboard for students to put virtual sticky notes on it. UnderstoodIt is a free website the teacher can set up. The students can go to the specific website and check if they understand a topic or not. If they don't, they click the button that says they don't understand and the teacher can see it in real time. TodaysMeet is interactive as well. The teacher put certain questions about the subjects they covered in class that day and the student goes to the website and answers the questions.
I responded with a comment about how it would have been very nice if I had had those types of assessments for students. It would have kept the amount of kids from failing and dropping out from being so high. The Post It notes is a great idea because it is annonymous and keeps the students from being made fun of by other students. I said it would be difficult for students without internet at home to participate in the interactive assignments on the internet, but that it couldn't be an excuse because the schools all have computer labs now.
2nd Post
In Steven Anderson's January 30, 2013 blog, he talked about spending time at the Florida Educational Technology Conference. He was a speaker. He left links on the post so we could see what he talked about and what his presentation looked like. He also left us a few links to other presenters' websites and presentations. I looked at a few and it was a bunch of links to web tools.
I responded with a comment telling him thank you for posting all of the links for us to use and view. I also said they would come in handy when I become a teacher someday. There wasn't much I could comment on.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Special Blog Post #1
WolframAlpha
When I did the search, I found that India is bigger than both China and the United States. I must have missed school the day we went over that because I sure thought India didn't have that many people. They have 1.21 BILLION people and China has 1.35 BILLION people. The United States only has 301 million. I thought that was a lot. I can't imagine what their shopping centers are like. I also found that the US's population has stayed about the same throughout the years while the other two countries' populations have increased dramatically.
I compared Mississippi and Alabama. It told me the states' full names and when they joined the Union. It told me the capital of each state, too. Alabama had 4.803 million people and Mississippi had 2.979 million people. That's quite a bit of a difference. Alabama has 69.9% White people and 26.1% Black people. Mississippi has 59.9% White people and 37% Black people. It told a bunch of other stuff about the states like how many businesses they had and how many voters. It told about the schools and the state symbols, too.
I compared apples to oranges. Apples have 91 calories and 482mg of protein. Apples have 45mg of saturated fat. An Orange has 71 calories and 1.4g of protein. They have 36mg of saturated fat. Oranges have way more vitamin c, iron, and calcium than apples. I learned that oranges are just so much better for you than apples. However, apples are easier to eat.
I think this tool would be helpful in a classroom. If students had to do a research project, they could go to this site to answer some questions they had about a certain topic. Or even if they are curious about something, they could find the answer. It could be useful, too, in helping them study for a test. Some information might not be covered in a textbook. They could go to that website and look it up. It could be useful on a test.
I could make up quizzes from certain searches on that website. I could make up homework assignments that aren't so boring. I could make it interesting. I might have a question about something and need to look it up. It's just simple and fast. It's not difficult like having to go to the library and get an encyclopedia. However, I will probably ask my students to use one at some point in the year. I think every student needs to know what they are and how to use them. I say my students my get curious about certain things, but I'm the same way. As I was doing my comparative searches, a little box popped up on the side of the screen and it asked me what was on the other side of the world from my city. Of course I had to know. Unfortunately on the other side of the world from where I'm from is nothing but an ocean.
Social Media
The numbers just kept going and going. I actually sat and watched them change for a few minutes. It's unbelievable how much technology has influenced our lives. It's only going to be even more important to us as time goes on. As for me, I think I'll be able to stay with the constant changing in technology. I think I was introduced to it at the right time. As young adults, we have had to familiarize ourselves with everything and that has only helped us in the education field. Teachers are having to switch over to smart boards and those overhead projector things and honestly, some of my teachers in high school had no idea what they were doing.
I'll be able to use the technology in the classroom as well as explain it to students. I can incorporate Facebook and Twitter into my classroom if I chose to. I am excited and nervous about the technology and how it will effect the students. I know there will be negatives but hopefully the positives will outweight the negatives.
When I did the search, I found that India is bigger than both China and the United States. I must have missed school the day we went over that because I sure thought India didn't have that many people. They have 1.21 BILLION people and China has 1.35 BILLION people. The United States only has 301 million. I thought that was a lot. I can't imagine what their shopping centers are like. I also found that the US's population has stayed about the same throughout the years while the other two countries' populations have increased dramatically.
I compared Mississippi and Alabama. It told me the states' full names and when they joined the Union. It told me the capital of each state, too. Alabama had 4.803 million people and Mississippi had 2.979 million people. That's quite a bit of a difference. Alabama has 69.9% White people and 26.1% Black people. Mississippi has 59.9% White people and 37% Black people. It told a bunch of other stuff about the states like how many businesses they had and how many voters. It told about the schools and the state symbols, too.
I compared apples to oranges. Apples have 91 calories and 482mg of protein. Apples have 45mg of saturated fat. An Orange has 71 calories and 1.4g of protein. They have 36mg of saturated fat. Oranges have way more vitamin c, iron, and calcium than apples. I learned that oranges are just so much better for you than apples. However, apples are easier to eat.
I think this tool would be helpful in a classroom. If students had to do a research project, they could go to this site to answer some questions they had about a certain topic. Or even if they are curious about something, they could find the answer. It could be useful, too, in helping them study for a test. Some information might not be covered in a textbook. They could go to that website and look it up. It could be useful on a test.
I could make up quizzes from certain searches on that website. I could make up homework assignments that aren't so boring. I could make it interesting. I might have a question about something and need to look it up. It's just simple and fast. It's not difficult like having to go to the library and get an encyclopedia. However, I will probably ask my students to use one at some point in the year. I think every student needs to know what they are and how to use them. I say my students my get curious about certain things, but I'm the same way. As I was doing my comparative searches, a little box popped up on the side of the screen and it asked me what was on the other side of the world from my city. Of course I had to know. Unfortunately on the other side of the world from where I'm from is nothing but an ocean.
Social Media
The numbers just kept going and going. I actually sat and watched them change for a few minutes. It's unbelievable how much technology has influenced our lives. It's only going to be even more important to us as time goes on. As for me, I think I'll be able to stay with the constant changing in technology. I think I was introduced to it at the right time. As young adults, we have had to familiarize ourselves with everything and that has only helped us in the education field. Teachers are having to switch over to smart boards and those overhead projector things and honestly, some of my teachers in high school had no idea what they were doing.
I'll be able to use the technology in the classroom as well as explain it to students. I can incorporate Facebook and Twitter into my classroom if I chose to. I am excited and nervous about the technology and how it will effect the students. I know there will be negatives but hopefully the positives will outweight the negatives.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Blog Post #3
I offered a a few suggestions on my C4C's blog post. I was just really confused by some of the things she was talking about. If there were any embarrassing mistakes I would have emailed her and told her about them. I don't like to point out things like that in public. There were a few positives. I liked how she told the story of her being in school and the teacher trying to get her on ADHD medicine. I know that's terrible, but it kept her post interesting. Otherwise, it would have put me to sleep.
I learned that there is a good way to critic someone's writing and a bad way. It's always good to stay positive and not negative. I am an optimistic person so staying positive is easy for me. I hate it when someone is very vague with me so I try to stay specific. I learned that is a good way to be.
The top 10 mistakes video was too cute! It's good to have some of the qualities each of those students had. I'm not picky but I am social. I've been in those situations before where I didn't really care what my friend was telling me. I learned the hard way to pay attention to what my peers tell me.
The Mountbatten
I learned that this resource would be very useful in a classroom for the blind and deaf students. It's a great tool to keep the students included on a daily basis. I didn't realize teachers were using this sort of technology already. When I was in school, the special children had their own classroom and we never saw them except during lunch. They didn't have any classes with us and they didn't each lunch with us either. I'm glad to see that this technology is helping them be part of a normal classroom because that's all children want to do these days. They just want to fit in. I also learned that it can transfer and save files. I am just amazed at how a simple machine can do so many things. If I had a student with a disability such as being blind or being deaf, I would use this resource everyday. I would make sure they knew how to use it and were comfortable with it. If it's possible then they would do their schoolwork on it. I might even suggest other students use it as a way to learn braille. It would benefit them in the long run.
Assistive Technologies
After watching these videos, I've come to realize that the school systems are actually improving. People really do want to help children feel more included and normal. I don't think the problem is solved 100% yet, but it's getting there. There will always be children with disabilities. We'll always need some way to teach them the things we teach the children without disabilities. Professor Art Karshmer said teaching math was one of the hardest things to do. It certainly looks like it to me. His way of teaching easy to complex math is just the start of other ways to teach students. It's going to take a lot of experiments and trials to figure out the best way to teach them.
If a student has a learning disability in my classroom, I will make sure he or she is learning at their level. I won't take away from the students without a disability, but I will make sure I'm doing all I can to help that student. I don't want the students without a disability to feel like they are dumb and I'm trying to teach down to them. It will be a learning process for me as well as for the students. I'll definitely have to learn as I go and maybe watch other teachers do it, as well. I am open to any ideas for how to teach students with a disability in the same classroom as students that don't have one.
Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smart
This video completely opened my eyes to a whole new way of teaching. I realize now that I don't really have a choice about whether or not I want to incorporate technology into my classroom. The decision has already been made. Ms. Davis has probably changed many students' lives just by being the kind of teacher she is. She's helping them teach themselves and learn from themselves. By asking the students to teach the class something, it's helping the students be more confidents with public speaking. I wish more teachers were like her. It's also keeping students from being lazy and not paying attention in class. It's keeping learning interesting.
I like the idea of the flat classroom and the other teaching tools she uses. I like how she makes almost everything interactive. I think the Flat Classroom Conference that the students attended helped open the students' to so much more. Things like that will make students more well-rounded and open to new things in the future. Ms. Davis is ultimately preparing these students for the future and they will be better prepared for the technological advances.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Blog Post #2
Did You Know? 3.0 - A John Strange 2012 Version
I was shocked by how many people use technology today. I knew it was getting more and more popular, but not as popular as it really is. YouTube has changed quite a bit since it first came out. There are so many advertisements before and after each video. It's so helpful though because you can find practically anything you need on there. I'm glad teachers are incorporating these technologies into their classes.
The first statistic in the video completely blew my mind. 25% of the population of India with the highest IQ's outnumber the whole US's population. That is amazing. First of all, when did India get to be so smart? Secondly, since when does India have that many people? 48 hours of YouTube videos being uploaded every minute is pretty amazing, too. I do wonder how people actually figure these things out, but still, that's two whole days of watching videos. With the top ten jobs not even being invented yet, it makes me wonder what those jobs will be. I hope to still be around when they are invented.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
I found this video quite entertaining. I understand now how much times have changed, even in the past 5 years. I bet George Washington is enjoying watching us live our lives. I bet things would have turned out differently had they had the kind of technology we have today. I don't know what kind of things they had 100 years ago, but I know today is a huge step up from back then. I imagine if I have been asleep for 100 years and woke up, I would probably want to go back to sleep. There's no way I would understand how anything worked. I'm thankful to be a part of these changing times because it's a lot easier for me to adapt to them than someone who isn't familiar with them.
Technology today is helping save lives as well as speeding things up for everyone. We live in a much faster pace than people did 100 years ago. I think that has actually shortened our average lifespan because everyone stays so stressed out. It't not healthy. X Rays have been so influential in the health world. People 100 years ago could have saved so many people if they had been able to use that machine. School has even changed in the past 5 years. Everything is becoming more online and interactive. It's teaching students to be responsible and helping them learn.
Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
Ken Robinson's story of the little girl drawing a picture of God was great. I love that. Sir Robinson is quite funny. I had a hard time following him sometimes. He made some good points about the school systems educating the creativity out of kids. The joke about the kids being wisemen and saying, "Frank sent us," instead of frankincense, was probably the best joke I have ever heard.
Sir Robinson says that teachers educate from the waist up and focus more on their heads. I'm not sure what that meant. He said that all our lives people try to tell us that we shouldn't do what we enjoy doing or like doing because we'll never get a job. For me, that's exactly what happened. I haven't always been on the 'teacher track.' My dad always told me I would never get a job as a teacher and that I might as well give up before I got too deep into school. I finally came to my senses and decided I'm going to do what I'm good at and what I love doing. I still think degrees are worth something; it shows that we accomplished something.
Future Schools and Change
I think schools will be a lot different than they are now. There will be more technology and interaction with teachers all over the world. I won't be surprised if kids could even stay at home and go to school. Hopefully the lunches will be better all over the country. If technology can change in schools, then I think so can the food. All students deserve at least one good meal a day.
I think tests and quizzes will be different, too. I don't think they will be more difficult, but I think teachers will expect a lot more from students. Kids these have gotten lazier and don't think they should have to do as much school work. You have to earn your degree. It shouldn't just be given to them. I love the idea of all classes not being burp back. That is one of the best teaching methods. Thank you Dr. Strange for doing that for students.
Pinterest
I would use all of those ideas in my classroom. Actually, I already do. I love the idea of it being a social networking site. It's a great way to get ideas from other teachers and find out what does and doesn't work. I'm very big on organization and it's a great way to stay organized. I hate clutter and Pinterest keeps it from getting that way.
Vicki Davis: Teaching Ideas and Apps:
I loved this board. It keeps things kid friendly and in today's times. It's not boring and provides useful tips on how to keep your classroom 'hip.' The pin that says "I teach. What's your superpower?" is my favorite. I have such admiration for teachers because it is such a difficult and time consuming job. I like the pin that was about ways to meet your classmates. Everyone should use those tips as an icebreaker for students. Even adults could use it every now and then.
Rachel Friedrich: Technology:
Who doesn't love the Reading Rainbow song? This board is great. It even has a Wheel of Fortune interactive game for students to play with. I love music and silly songs and this is just the board for that. It's also guy Bill Nye- The Science Guy. He's a legend.
Pinterest could be useful to me because it will help me keep my thoughts organized. When I find a new teaching trick or a cool new video to watch, I can pin it to my board and revisit it whenever I want. Students can do the same thing with projects and things. I'm not sure I would use it in my classroom because I'm not a big fan of technology. Unbelievable, I know. I like paper and pens. Students can use it outside of class just like they can use Twitter and Facebook, but I'm sticking to notebooks and pencils, markers and chalk, that sort of thing.
I was shocked by how many people use technology today. I knew it was getting more and more popular, but not as popular as it really is. YouTube has changed quite a bit since it first came out. There are so many advertisements before and after each video. It's so helpful though because you can find practically anything you need on there. I'm glad teachers are incorporating these technologies into their classes.
The first statistic in the video completely blew my mind. 25% of the population of India with the highest IQ's outnumber the whole US's population. That is amazing. First of all, when did India get to be so smart? Secondly, since when does India have that many people? 48 hours of YouTube videos being uploaded every minute is pretty amazing, too. I do wonder how people actually figure these things out, but still, that's two whole days of watching videos. With the top ten jobs not even being invented yet, it makes me wonder what those jobs will be. I hope to still be around when they are invented.
Mr. Winkle Wakes
I found this video quite entertaining. I understand now how much times have changed, even in the past 5 years. I bet George Washington is enjoying watching us live our lives. I bet things would have turned out differently had they had the kind of technology we have today. I don't know what kind of things they had 100 years ago, but I know today is a huge step up from back then. I imagine if I have been asleep for 100 years and woke up, I would probably want to go back to sleep. There's no way I would understand how anything worked. I'm thankful to be a part of these changing times because it's a lot easier for me to adapt to them than someone who isn't familiar with them.
Technology today is helping save lives as well as speeding things up for everyone. We live in a much faster pace than people did 100 years ago. I think that has actually shortened our average lifespan because everyone stays so stressed out. It't not healthy. X Rays have been so influential in the health world. People 100 years ago could have saved so many people if they had been able to use that machine. School has even changed in the past 5 years. Everything is becoming more online and interactive. It's teaching students to be responsible and helping them learn.
Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
Ken Robinson's story of the little girl drawing a picture of God was great. I love that. Sir Robinson is quite funny. I had a hard time following him sometimes. He made some good points about the school systems educating the creativity out of kids. The joke about the kids being wisemen and saying, "Frank sent us," instead of frankincense, was probably the best joke I have ever heard.
Sir Robinson says that teachers educate from the waist up and focus more on their heads. I'm not sure what that meant. He said that all our lives people try to tell us that we shouldn't do what we enjoy doing or like doing because we'll never get a job. For me, that's exactly what happened. I haven't always been on the 'teacher track.' My dad always told me I would never get a job as a teacher and that I might as well give up before I got too deep into school. I finally came to my senses and decided I'm going to do what I'm good at and what I love doing. I still think degrees are worth something; it shows that we accomplished something.
Future Schools and Change
I think schools will be a lot different than they are now. There will be more technology and interaction with teachers all over the world. I won't be surprised if kids could even stay at home and go to school. Hopefully the lunches will be better all over the country. If technology can change in schools, then I think so can the food. All students deserve at least one good meal a day.
I think tests and quizzes will be different, too. I don't think they will be more difficult, but I think teachers will expect a lot more from students. Kids these have gotten lazier and don't think they should have to do as much school work. You have to earn your degree. It shouldn't just be given to them. I love the idea of all classes not being burp back. That is one of the best teaching methods. Thank you Dr. Strange for doing that for students.
I would use all of those ideas in my classroom. Actually, I already do. I love the idea of it being a social networking site. It's a great way to get ideas from other teachers and find out what does and doesn't work. I'm very big on organization and it's a great way to stay organized. I hate clutter and Pinterest keeps it from getting that way.
Vicki Davis: Teaching Ideas and Apps:
I loved this board. It keeps things kid friendly and in today's times. It's not boring and provides useful tips on how to keep your classroom 'hip.' The pin that says "I teach. What's your superpower?" is my favorite. I have such admiration for teachers because it is such a difficult and time consuming job. I like the pin that was about ways to meet your classmates. Everyone should use those tips as an icebreaker for students. Even adults could use it every now and then.
Rachel Friedrich: Technology:
Who doesn't love the Reading Rainbow song? This board is great. It even has a Wheel of Fortune interactive game for students to play with. I love music and silly songs and this is just the board for that. It's also guy Bill Nye- The Science Guy. He's a legend.
Pinterest could be useful to me because it will help me keep my thoughts organized. When I find a new teaching trick or a cool new video to watch, I can pin it to my board and revisit it whenever I want. Students can do the same thing with projects and things. I'm not sure I would use it in my classroom because I'm not a big fan of technology. Unbelievable, I know. I like paper and pens. Students can use it outside of class just like they can use Twitter and Facebook, but I'm sticking to notebooks and pencils, markers and chalk, that sort of thing.
Friday, January 25, 2013
EMILY ALICE
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Blog Assignment #1
About Me
My name is Emily Barnes. I am 21 years old. I was born in Gulfport, MS but I have lived in Fayette, AL pretty much my whole life. I have one sister that is 13 and in the 8th grade. She is a majorette for the middle school. I have moved all over Fayette County and lived in Biloxi for 6 months while my mom was married to my sister's dad. I graduated number 9 in my high school in 2010 and was in Phi Theta Kappa while I was at Bevill. I transferred from Bevill and ended up here.
My cousin, Jill, went to South last year and I had recently gone through a really bad break up and wanted to be as far from Fayette as I could. She told me I should come visit and see if I liked the college. My mom and grandparents weren't thrilled with how far from home it was but I knew I needed to get away. I told them that I would pray about it and if I was supposed to be at South then I would know as soon as I walked on campus. Sure enough, I got here for USA Day during the spring last year and absolutely fell in love. I knew this was home. I called my mom right away and told her this is where I needed to be. I got all the paperwork filled out and everything was set. I attended Orientation and I moved on campus in August.
I am in Kappa Delta Sorority and Silver Wings. I also help out with JagTV. I love horses. I have been riding since I was 6 years old and I started horse showing when I was 7. If I could, that's all I would do all day everyday. It's my life. I have a horse named Clue. I got him right after I turned 15. It was the best birthday present ever. I taught him how to jump and get lead changes. He taught me to have patience; LOTS of patience. He is probably the best thing that has ever happened to me. I like to swim and go camping, too. I love playing sports. I play tennis and softball. I played on a flag football team at Bevill. I like to read and watch movies, too. I have to admit it though, I am a nerd. I like to play video games. Black Ops is my favorite. I can play the trumpet and piano, but that's not my favorite thing to do. I like to stay active and be outside.
When I was little, I played teacher. I started out just lining my dolls up and talking to them. As I got older, I sat pencils out in front of them and pretended like they were taking notes and tests. When I was in 4th grade, my teacher gave me her teacher edition books of our old textbooks. That pretty much made my year. I got a podium and a marker board for Christmas. Instead of going to the mall to get toys and cool stuff, I went to the teacher store and bought teaching supplies. I have always wanted to be a teacher. It's something I think I will be really good at doing. I love being with kids and being a teacher just makes sense. I want to be that teacher that makes a difference in a kids life. Not a big difference, but just someone they remember and actually teach them something.
Imaginary Classroom
I am a visual and do it yourself learner. I will have games for the kids to play to learn their math or reading skills. They will be able to comprehend simple math and reading words. I'll probably start each day with a question or something pertaining to the day's teaching. Just to get their minds focused and ready to learn. I'll have the basic spelling and vocabulary tests at the end of the week, along with a few bonus words. I am a big fan of flash cards, so I'll use them throughout the week to help teach.
I'll be teaching somewhere around 1st - 3rd graders. They learn by repetition. They like to do activities throughout the day to learn, too. They learn by coloring and cutting and pasting. I'll show them videos and then get them to do the same as the video. I'll have rewards for the ones that show they know and understand what I'm teaching.
The tools I will use are flashcards, videos, powerpoints, songs, books, and games. The students will get in groups or have partners and have a certain task they must complete. I'll give homework, too. I'll let them write it on the board and help the rest of the class understand it.
My classroom will be colorful. It will keep kids interested in learning. I will have some kind of calendar that the kids can use to help learn the days of the week, months, and countdown to summer. I will have cute name tags on the desks or tables. I will have disciplinary incentives for the kids. If they get so many gold stars by their name then they get a prize out of the treasure chest at the end of the month. I will have a line leader and a caboose for when we go outside of the classroom. And I will definitely have class outside every now and then.
Randy Pausch and Time Management
In Dr Pausch's video, "Time Management," I learned that I'm not the only one that procrastinates. I learned that others have that problem, too. I also learned that I was not the only child to ask my mother, "Why?" after she told me to do something. Now I realize that it's actually ok to ask why and what happens if I chose just not to do it. I learned that it's better to do the right things adequately than do the wrong things beautifully.
Dr Pausch said, "Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgement." That couldn't be more true. I've learned that we are probably going to make some bad decisions but it'll only help us out in the future. We'll make better choices based on our experience. After all, "You can't fake experience." I learned that not planning at all is planning to fail. I have a problem with not planning everything for the week. I think if I did actually have a plan, then I wouldn't forget everything I have to do all the time.
Dr. Randy Pausch died when he was 47 years old of metastasized pancreatic cancer. He was a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon. His last lecture was more for his family as a video memory for them. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
My name is Emily Barnes. I am 21 years old. I was born in Gulfport, MS but I have lived in Fayette, AL pretty much my whole life. I have one sister that is 13 and in the 8th grade. She is a majorette for the middle school. I have moved all over Fayette County and lived in Biloxi for 6 months while my mom was married to my sister's dad. I graduated number 9 in my high school in 2010 and was in Phi Theta Kappa while I was at Bevill. I transferred from Bevill and ended up here.
My cousin, Jill, went to South last year and I had recently gone through a really bad break up and wanted to be as far from Fayette as I could. She told me I should come visit and see if I liked the college. My mom and grandparents weren't thrilled with how far from home it was but I knew I needed to get away. I told them that I would pray about it and if I was supposed to be at South then I would know as soon as I walked on campus. Sure enough, I got here for USA Day during the spring last year and absolutely fell in love. I knew this was home. I called my mom right away and told her this is where I needed to be. I got all the paperwork filled out and everything was set. I attended Orientation and I moved on campus in August.
I am in Kappa Delta Sorority and Silver Wings. I also help out with JagTV. I love horses. I have been riding since I was 6 years old and I started horse showing when I was 7. If I could, that's all I would do all day everyday. It's my life. I have a horse named Clue. I got him right after I turned 15. It was the best birthday present ever. I taught him how to jump and get lead changes. He taught me to have patience; LOTS of patience. He is probably the best thing that has ever happened to me. I like to swim and go camping, too. I love playing sports. I play tennis and softball. I played on a flag football team at Bevill. I like to read and watch movies, too. I have to admit it though, I am a nerd. I like to play video games. Black Ops is my favorite. I can play the trumpet and piano, but that's not my favorite thing to do. I like to stay active and be outside.
When I was little, I played teacher. I started out just lining my dolls up and talking to them. As I got older, I sat pencils out in front of them and pretended like they were taking notes and tests. When I was in 4th grade, my teacher gave me her teacher edition books of our old textbooks. That pretty much made my year. I got a podium and a marker board for Christmas. Instead of going to the mall to get toys and cool stuff, I went to the teacher store and bought teaching supplies. I have always wanted to be a teacher. It's something I think I will be really good at doing. I love being with kids and being a teacher just makes sense. I want to be that teacher that makes a difference in a kids life. Not a big difference, but just someone they remember and actually teach them something.
Imaginary Classroom
I am a visual and do it yourself learner. I will have games for the kids to play to learn their math or reading skills. They will be able to comprehend simple math and reading words. I'll probably start each day with a question or something pertaining to the day's teaching. Just to get their minds focused and ready to learn. I'll have the basic spelling and vocabulary tests at the end of the week, along with a few bonus words. I am a big fan of flash cards, so I'll use them throughout the week to help teach.
I'll be teaching somewhere around 1st - 3rd graders. They learn by repetition. They like to do activities throughout the day to learn, too. They learn by coloring and cutting and pasting. I'll show them videos and then get them to do the same as the video. I'll have rewards for the ones that show they know and understand what I'm teaching.
The tools I will use are flashcards, videos, powerpoints, songs, books, and games. The students will get in groups or have partners and have a certain task they must complete. I'll give homework, too. I'll let them write it on the board and help the rest of the class understand it.
My classroom will be colorful. It will keep kids interested in learning. I will have some kind of calendar that the kids can use to help learn the days of the week, months, and countdown to summer. I will have cute name tags on the desks or tables. I will have disciplinary incentives for the kids. If they get so many gold stars by their name then they get a prize out of the treasure chest at the end of the month. I will have a line leader and a caboose for when we go outside of the classroom. And I will definitely have class outside every now and then.
Randy Pausch and Time Management
In Dr Pausch's video, "Time Management," I learned that I'm not the only one that procrastinates. I learned that others have that problem, too. I also learned that I was not the only child to ask my mother, "Why?" after she told me to do something. Now I realize that it's actually ok to ask why and what happens if I chose just not to do it. I learned that it's better to do the right things adequately than do the wrong things beautifully.
Dr Pausch said, "Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgement." That couldn't be more true. I've learned that we are probably going to make some bad decisions but it'll only help us out in the future. We'll make better choices based on our experience. After all, "You can't fake experience." I learned that not planning at all is planning to fail. I have a problem with not planning everything for the week. I think if I did actually have a plan, then I wouldn't forget everything I have to do all the time.
Dr. Randy Pausch died when he was 47 years old of metastasized pancreatic cancer. He was a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon. His last lecture was more for his family as a video memory for them. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
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