Blog Post #5 Part B

Final PLN Summery.

My PLN hasn't changed too much since the beginning of the semester. I still organize all my computer sites via Symbaloo. I love the organization of this site. However, I am asking for an iPad for christmas and I think that I will be very organized on that using apps and have my iPad as a tool for my PLN.  I am very excited about this because I have learned so much about using technology in the classroom and specifically iPads!

I mentioned in my first post about PLN that "Dr. Strange made it clear that my PLN is more than just the organization of my favorite websites on Symbaloo, but a list of people and tools that I can look to for help on my journey of becoming a teacher and even after during my time in a classroom."

People

• Dr. John H Strange- Lead Professor at the University of South Alabama, College of Education. EDM310 Teacher. 
• Dr. Jean Clark- Professor at the University of South Alabama, College of Education. Human Growth and Development Teacher.
• Nancy Gaillard- Professor at the University of South Alabama, College of Education. K-6 Education Teacher.
• Caitlin Byrd- My sister-in-law. Graduate of Auburn University with an Early Childhood/Elementary Education degree. Mentor. Encourager.
• Amy Byrd-  My sister-in-law. Graduate of Troy University with a Psychology degree. Employed at Hunter Street Baptist Church, as a Assistant and works in Girls Ministry. Author of Dwell. Mentor. Encourager. 
• Ana Eagerton- Friend. Graduate of Auburn University with a degree in Early Childhood/Elementary Education. 3rd grade teacher at Bluff Park Elementary School in Birmingham, Alabama. 

Tools

• Pinterest
• Craftsy
• Blogger
• Google Drive
• Twitter
• iPad
• iBook Author

C4K Summery for November

Sarah Byrd
EDM310
Project #6
C4K-November

Post #8
Keith's Blog
Keith- Oakville, Ontario

Keith's blog post was about... can you guess? Technology.  He writes about how much he loves technology and how much his teacher, Ms. Horst, uses it in the classroom. Keith mentions ChromeBook, Youtube, Twitter, and Google Docs in his post. That is incredible that he likes to use these resources so much in his learning process. He even mentions how he is worried that he won't be using as much technology next year with a new teacher! Ms. Horst is obviously creating a great creative and innovative classroom if she has student's that don't want to leave her classroom. You can tell from Keith's writing that he genuinely enjoys the technology being used in the classroom.

My Comment:
Keith, I really enjoyed reading your blog post. It is so great that you love technology and enjoy using it in the classroom! Technology is an incredible way to connect to people. You and your classmates blog's are being seen all over the world; I am from Birmingham, Alabama in the US. I am learning all about technology being used in the classroom just like your teacher uses technology in her classroom. What kind of things does your class use youtube and twitter for? It sounds like you really like your class and are passionate about technology. I love technology too, and the best part is that we can continue to learn more and more about technology because it is always changing and growing!

Post #9
Dalton's Blog
Dalton-Iowa

Dalton's blog post was a reflection on a project that he did on his future. He said he enjoyed this project very much cause he liked to picture himself in the future. I used to love picturing the future as a child too. I wish Dalton had written more on the project but he did not. I guess it's difficult for younger students to elaborate as well as older students but Dalton will get the hang of it!

My Comment:
Dalton, what did you do for your project about the future? I enjoyed thinking about my future at your age as well! I wanted to be a veterinarian when I was in school! I hope you are making your goals high and reaching for them.

Post #10
Brayden's Blog
Kingsland, MN

Brayden's Blog was a summery of the how the first quarter of school has been going for him. He seems like a very good students, and doesn't seem to get in trouble! He has some very good goals for school and it seems that he has a very straight head about school. 

My Comment:
You seem to be a very good student! I also thought your vocabulary is excellent. I have very similar goals just like yours, but for college classes. I hope you reach your goals, Brayden!

Post #11
Justin's Blog
Kingsland, MN

Justin's blog post was about Halloween! He mentioned in his post that he loves to dress up, get candy, and hang out with friends. I used to love Halloween as a young child it was always very special to me with many traditions. Justin loves to dress up scary and wear masks! That is not my thing at all, but I'm glad he seems to have to much fun during Halloween.

My Comment:
Justin, I love Halloween too! I’m sad that I have to wait a whole year for it again. I went as Minnie Mouse this year. What did you go as this year? I used to love trading candies with my brothers and friends when I was your age too! I really enjoyed reading your post.

Blog Post #14

Teaching Can Be a Profession by Joel Klein 

I enjoyed getting to read the article, Teaching Can Be a Profession by Joel Klein. Klein, who runs the New York City's public school system, mentions how if he could change one thing "...it would be to professionalize teaching, making it like other well-respected professions, such as law and medicine." and I couldn't agree more. I can personally say I have seen people 'feel bad' for me that I want to become a teacher. I also want to see teaching to become a prestigious thing to become, and for it to be a profession that is sought after, like medical and law fields. However, Klein says that for teaching to become for respectable a lot of things would have to change. Only the best teachers should be chosen to teach, and the schools should do a better job of weeding out teachers that are incompetent. Also, 'seniority' cannot be the basis of how to categorize teachers. Performance is everything, and if teachers aren't meeting the standards then they shouldn't be in the classroom. Klein seems to be severe with his opinions, but isn't that the best way to get the TOP QUALITY of education for our younger generations?

Blog Post #13

What Did I Leave Out?

I would have loved a Blog Post at the beginning of the semester that brings college students more aware of Apps and Websites that can be great uses to them as students finishing college. That would have got me more interested in the sense of using technology with learning,

Blog Post #13

Read the article, 5 Must-Download Apps for College Students. Would the apps described in the article be helpful during your college experience? Would you use them? If there was another kind of app you would find helpful to College Students what would it be?

After reading the article, 5 Must-Download Apps for College Students, I wish that I had spent more time at the beginning of my freshman years getting more organized. There are many apps available to college students that can be very beneficial to college student's learning. My favorite app that is written about in the article, Evernote. Evernote is an app that is a workspace for daily projects, where you can keep information together, and sync across all devices to keep things together. Very beneficial app and useful site online. I should have taking advantage of it much earlier. I do believe that I would use apps to help with my studies, and I do wish that they made an app that was better at keeping my calendar notes more organized. That would be a great app!

Project #12

Project #12

SMARTboard Lesson Plan Part B

Blog Post #12

Assistive Technology

Group #1

Sarah
I chose to read up on the different resources that Apple has available for special education students. Apple Support for Special Education. It is absolutely incredible to see the amazing ways that Apple is reaching out to make resources for special education. The “Speak Selection” is simple but so incredibly helpful for students who need to hear a word as it’s being read, this can help with comprehension for a wide range of learners! The Speak Selection can read text messages, emails, ebooks, and web pages. This is just one of many great options Apple has for special education students. Another resource that I saw was one that I just recently heard about in my EDM 310 class, iBooks. iBooks Author is where teachers can create a customized learning material to support each and every learning need. iBooks have a variety of features like 3D images, video, and audio. I believe this could be a great resource for special education students, because of the ability to customize the learning material, and that is so incredibly important because each student is different and will learn differently. There are many more wonderful examples of resources that Apple has available for special education students, and I believe that Apple has done an excellent job using technology as a fundamental way of learning for special education students.

Katie
I chose the video about teaching introductory math to young blind students by means of a touchpad. This video was Teaching Math to the Blind. In this, Professor Art Karshmer at the University of San Francisco offers a solution to the issue that blind students face in learning math. Here is a simple example of this issue: sighted students see an addition problem with one addend on top of the other with the sum underneath while blind students can only see the problems straight across on one line. This is a problem because the students are not able to develop a strong foundation in math and therefore are severely limited in their potential to go into certain career fields in their future. With the touchpad described in the video, the blind students are able to learn math more like a sighted student would. This would help them learn fundamentals of math better so they have a better chance with it in their futures.

Meagan
I chose to watch the video Teaching Mom What Her Deaf/Blind Child Is Learning On the iPad. In this video, the teacher is showing one mother Voiceover for iPad. She is teaching the mother how her deaf/blind child is using his/her iPad. She goes over the different ways to use and explore through the iPad with just the touch of their fingertips. I think that this is a great way for the parents to see just how much their child can accomplish with technology, no matter the child’s disability. I suggest all teachers that will have students that might have these disabilities go through an iPad training as this mother did to experience what their student/students will.

C4T #3

C4T #3

A JOURNEY IN TEFL
By: Eva Buyuksimkesyan

Post #1
This blog post is about choices. I really liked this post a lot. The teacher writes about after a bad day at school and her lesson for the day not really working or getting through to her students. She went home and brainstormed to have a lesson that her students would enjoy and get them to participate in. This class seemed to have problems with decision making (which ended them up in this class). The teacher figured out a lesson that involved a poem, The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost. She spoke to the students about choices and the feelings that come with that, other words for road, and lastly went other the poem extensively. The students enjoyed her lesson. They were participating and she could see attitudes change toward the class. She did an excellent job of seeing a problem and became flexible for her students in order for them to benefit in the end. This was a profound post even though it was so simple. It showed me that I need to be aware of my students needs and accommodate towards them so they will be successful in my class.

My Comment:
I am a student at the University of South Alabama, with the intent of graduating with a degree in Elementary Education. This post is fantastic. I believe it takes a great teacher to see the needs of her students and to be flexible and accommodating towards them so they will be successful in the classroom. It's great that your students were so enthusiastic about the lesson plan you set up. It was obviously a boost that they needed. I hope that I will be able to see my students in the same light that you do. It is clear that you go above and beyond since you saw a problem in your students and immediately took the steps into changing their view and attitude toward your class. Thank you for the post!

Post #2
This blog post was a lesson plan idea for a reading activity. I really liked the author's idea! The lesson plan is basically an activity where students are split into 3s. Two of the students will be role playing two characters from the book and the third will take notes and "eavesdrop" on their conversation. This could work really well if every student took the assignment seriously. The author is choosing to do this activity with 12th graders.

My Comment:
I enjoyed this post and idea of a lesson plan. And I think you could do this with almost any grade, obviously having the older grades take on some difficult characters. I can see myself using this lesson (modified) in a kindergarten class! Students will have to roll play characters from certain books I read to the class! Very fun way to show that the students have been paying attention during reading time.

Blog Post #11

What can we learn about teaching and learning from these teachers?

Back To the Future

Mr. Paul Andersen's Blog

Making Thinking Visible

Sam Pane 4th Grade

Project Based Learning

Roosevelt Elementary's PBL program

The more and more I learn about Project Based Learning and about the technology that is being used in today's classroom, I am blown away that I hadn't thought to use some resources in the classroom. (iPads, Apps, Macs, Youtube) In the videos above, the examples of the different technologies being used are plentiful. I love that teachers are starting to be more creative than just doing worksheets for classroom time, which I recall almost always doing as a child. I certainly will be using Project Based Learning once I become a teacher, because I can't imagine not using it now since I have seen so many examples because of EDM 310. Project Based Learning is the way of learning now, and the resources available are only going to continue to grow!

Project #14 Collaborative

Lesson Plan #2 Group 1 W6

Lesson Name:  Daily experience as a native American Category: Social Studies Grade Level: 5                                 Lesson Number: 1 of 1 Date: Nov. 2,  2014

Alabama Standard(s): Distinguish differences among major American Indian cultures in North America according to geographic region, natural resources, community organization, economy, and belief systems. •  Locating on a map American Indian nations according to geographic region

Driving Question: What can be learned about the lives of native Americans through interviews and research?

Objectives:  According to rubric in assessment.

Students should finish the project to a minimum 90% completion according to the rubric in the assessment.

Activities: An interview will be set up for the class as a whole with a specialist on Native Americans. This will be conducted through means of face-to-face video chat. During class time, the teacher will set up an interview via Skype that will be projected to where the whole class can see the specialist. The students will have the opportunity to have a Q and A session with him. After this the students will be separated into groups to decide what Native American group they will be assigned to. For a class of 24 students, the class will be separated into 4 groups of 6. All these students will work on the same tribe for the remainder of the project and will work together for a later part. The students will get together to choose a tribe to study. This tribe should be different from the tribes that were the 6 mandatory tribes from the last project. Also, the groups will have to choose different tribes than other groups. This is decided by a first come first some basis. The groups that inform the teacher first of their tribe will get to do their project on that tribe. From there, the students will conduct their own interviews with someone who can speak on behalf of their chosen tribe. An example of how to do this would to be to go to the tribe’s website and contact whomever is in charge of education as listed by the website. This person should be able to aid the student in finding an interview. This interview can be  conducted face-to-face, over something such as Skype, or even over email and needs to be a minimum of 5 questions. The students will create their own questions for the interview. The students will have to have their questions approved before the interview. Once the student has conducted the interview, their questions and a summary of the answers will be put online on the student’s blog. Also in this blog the students will have an “In the day of a life of ….” post. This might require some extra research. This part of the project will be done on an individual basis. From there the students will work collaboratively for the rest of the project. The students will get together to work on a presentation. This will be presented to the class and to other classes through participation in a school culture week that the class could help organize in another project.  The students will create a single presentation as a group based of their individual research. Also the students will have to artistically (using visual arts) create things important to that culture. An example of that would be a shoe that is original to that tribe could be created for this part of the project. Each group will have to create 3 different cultural pieces. At the end of the project the students will be required to create their own rubrics. With these rubrics the students will grade themselves individually, the members of the group, and the group as a whole cohesive team. This is for self-evaluation purposes. If the student finds it necessary, he may make 2 separate rubrics for self evaluation or group. The final grade will be decided by the teacher rubric.

Materials/ Equipment: Computer, internet access, a blog, visual art supplies (will vary from group to group).

Homework: Classtime will be given to work on this project, whatever is not finished will be done for     homework.

Assessment: 10 points 7 points 5 points 2 points 0 points Interview 5 questions and did interview and summary 3 or 4 questions did interview and summary 1 or 2 questions did interview and summary Questions no interview  No questions no interview Blog Post  Blog post completed (3 sections) and proper grammar Blog post completed (3 sections) with obvious grammar mistakes Blog post incomplete (less than 3 sections) and proper grammar Blog post incomplete (less than 3 sections) and obvious grammar mistakes No post Presentation Presentation created and delivered Presentation created and delivered at less than par standard Presentation created but delivery was uninformed (read from project) Presentation was incomplete No presentation prepared Visual Arts Creation 3 artistic creations with visible effort 3 artistic creations with obvious lack of effort  2 artistic creations 1 artist creation No creations Rubric Made rubric and did the evaluations Made rubric did 4 of 7 evaluations Made rubric and 1-3 evaluations Made rubric no evaluations No rubric no evaluations