C4T#4

For my Comments for Teacher #4, I was assigned Will Richardson.



His post:
On My Mind 17 Nov 2010 12:36 am

Talkin’ ‘Bout a Revolution? Well…Maybe

Just a quick observation in the midst of my blogging hiatus…

I think it’s official. We’ve got the rhetoric for change down. We’re telling the new story…self-directed, multi-skilled kids with devices accessing content and teachers from around the world using a new literacy, all being assessed through a potent mix of traditional and not so traditional tests. All digital, all the time. New learners for new times. New schools and classrooms and teachers for new times. It’s all in there. It’s Prego!

That’s at least the impression you get when you read this latest from THE Journal and host of other articles and blog posts and Tech Plans. For example:

The students will lead this revolution if we keep them engaged and give them hope that they can make use of these technologies that they love in their private lives and make use of them for learning. Teachers will come along with that because teachers’ role will change. In my 2020 vision, we’ll have teachers as facilitators and mentors, and the students will be directing, leading, and collaborating, even as early as elementary school. The relationship between students and teachers will be, on a whole, much different and more valuable.

Ah, to dream.

But here is the thing…read between the lines in most of these descriptions and you get the sense that we see it, we want it, but we ain’t gonna get it very soon. Budgets are being cut. The people in charge don’t really see this vision. We haven’t figured out that assessment thing very well. And so on.

Read all together, you get the sense the revolution is coming, just not anytime soon. And even worse, it’s doubtful that when it does come, that schools in general are going to lead it. I know we have pockets of real change, but while the words seem to be scaling (somewhat, at least), the deeds have yet to follow suit.

Sigh.

My Comment:
Hi Will,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Al. I enjoyed reading your blog post. While in this class, I have been able to learn about new technology available to teachers and more importantly, how to properly use it. As a future teacher, I am looking forward to being able to implement these practices in my classroom. But you are correct in your comments. While most people are excited about the future of teaching, the reality is with the economy in the shape it is in and with budget cuts nationwide, it will be hard to implement. I honestly even have the fear that the career I am looking so forward to having will be impossible to enter, due to cuts. There are so many advantages to having technology in the classroom and unfortunately, it seems that the schools are suffering the most. I am keeping hope that there will be a change and the revolution will be sooner rather than later. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, Brittany

His post:
On My Mind 03 Nov 2010 07:42 am

Ideas Wanted: “Basketball Math”

I’m hoping I can get some ideas from math teacher types (and others) around an idea I’ve been kicking around for my son Tucker, who, as you might guess by the title of this post, loves basketball. (He loves math, too.) Not that he needs it or has asked for it, but I keep wondering what a “Basketball Math” curriculum might look like for Tucker, one that would combine his serious interest in the sport with his growing interest in math, and one that would also give him opportunities to connect with other basketball and math lovers outside of the classroom. A few basic things seem obvious, even to my English teacher brain, in terms of learning percentages, ordering numbers, reading some blogs on using statistics in basketball, etc. But I’m thinking there’s a lot of other stuff about geometry, physics and more that he might find hidden in the game as well.

So if you have a second, I’m hoping you might post your ideas here. Assuming we could (and would want to) build a K-? math curriculum around the game of basketball that, if possible, takes advantage of these social learning spaces online, what might that look like?

My response:
Hi Will,
I think this is a great conceptual idea. So many educators seem to get wrapped up in the idea of curriculum being rigid and only about the subject at hand. So many other lessons can be taught by allowing children to do what they enjoy. This provides inspiration for future teachers to dig deeper than the surface lesson to allow students to have fun while learning the stated curriculum.
Thank you,
Brittany Schneider

C4K#8, C4K#9, C4K#10, Special Yasime C4K

For my C4K #8, I was assigned Kenya's blog in Noel Elementary Class of 2011. her post was as follows:

Yes, I will try to get to know a person by the way they are in the inside instead of judging them on how they dress or, on how they look in the outside.
Yes, I have made a judgment about someone before meeting them and, once I knew how that person was I Totally changed my mind about them.
In my opinion I think that we judge each other because people are just jealous by the way you look and, dress.
My comment:
Hi Kenya,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I enjoyed reading your post and your decision to make a difference in judging people. You're right- it is very easy to judge others without knowing anything about them. And like you said, most times your first impression of someone is wrong. It is important to be open minded about other people. When you first see them or meet them, you don't know where they come from or their personal history. For instance, if someone is wearing ragged shoes, you may not know that they come from a single-parent household with multiple siblings. Or if someone seems very rude, they may be try to overcompensate for the fact that they were picked on by other kids and using their rudeness as a defense mechanism. There are multiple reasons a person may seem a certain way, but in reality, that's not the way they really are. As you are learning, life can be tough and not everyone is instantly nice or open minded. You can be the one to make the difference. It's important to take the time to get to know someone before you decide if you like them or not. You don't have to be friends with everyone, but make sure the reasons you may dislike them are valid ones. I am proud of your resolution. Keep up the good work, Brittany

C4K#9 

SchoolTube – Weather Skit

SchoolTube – Weather Skit.
Student performed and produced Skit.,

Posted in Uncategorized

Hi,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Al. I really enjoyed watching the weather skit. It was amazing! It looks like y’all do a lot of fun stuff in your class. Its great that y’all are using technology in your classroom. I bet y’all know more than I do! Keep up the good work, Brittany

C4K #10:
My adventure has begun. I am in Portland, Oregon. Portland, Oregon is 3,000 miles from where I came from. I saw the Columbia River were it marks Washington and Oregon. I saw Mt. Hood it looked really big.

flatrohin1

My response:
Hi. My name is Brittany and I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. What a great project! It is wonderful that you are able to travel the world all from your classroom. Portland, Oregon looks beautiful. I have not visited there yet, but I hope to one day. Maybe I should take a virtual trip there. What other places have you been able to visit? Keep up the good work! Thank you for sharing, Brittany

C4K#11
Current Events

November 18, 2010 ~ 0 Comments

Current events are fun to put together, but I got really scared when I went up in front of the whole class to present. I like how Helena put an opinion in the end of hers. I did my current event about the Iberian lynx. I like current events because you learn about news that you normally wouldn’t hear.

My response:
Hi Katie,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I enjoyed reading your blog post. I also enjoy doing current event projects. I will be a social studies teacher soon and I am already looking for fun projects for my future students. When you research current events, it gives you a passport to another land of knowledge that you would not usually look into. The more you can learn, the better. Besides, learning is fun.
Keep up the good work,
Brittany

Special Yasime C4K Assignment:
The best recess in history!

November 17, 2010 ~ 5 Comments

Me and my friends Ciara, Anay, Genesis, Alessandra, Katerina and Subika were at recess. I run a gymnastics class at recess so I split everyone into 2 groups. Some worked on flexibility and agility by jumping on the seperate bars of the monkey bars. One group practiced and tried to do all kinds of the stunts we practiced before like back – hand springs and front flips. The girls were advancing very quickly. I tryed something I thought would work out and hung upside down on the monkey bars. I told Ciara to do so and she got help to hang beside me high on the bars. We hung upside down with one leg and chained our arms togther like pro trapeze artists. Everyone was clapping loudly and squealing ” Look, Look!” I wish everybody could see us. It felt like flying. This was the best recess in history.

My response:
Hi Yasmine,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. Your blog looks great! I loved reading your post about your recess. That sounds like so much fun! You must be really good at gymnastics to have a class. I have always wanted to learn the trapeze. Thank you for sharing with us. Keep up the good work!
Brittany

Blog Post 13

For this blog post, we were to review websites such as ALEX and ACCESS.

As for ALEX, I have been on that website before to search for sample lesson plans for other classes I have taken. I was able to dig a little deeper for this blog post and I have to say, I was impressed with all that I found. There are several resources available to teachers. I was most impressed by the lesson plans available. This is a great resource to help when you're not feeling very creative.

Additionally, ALEX helps you connect with other educators. This appears to be a consolidated place to share ideas with other Alabama educators, as opposed to places like Twitter. There are also educational links made available for you. You are able to search lesson plans or search by courses of study. What a great resource!

As for ACCESS, I had not previously viewed this site. I was delighted to find that this resource was available for students. It seems that they have an opportunity for more education via the internet. Specifically, I saw there was help for the Alabama Graduation Exam and test prep. This seems to be almost an equivalent resource for students that ALEX is for teachers.

Additional Assignment #5

After reading almost all of Tom Johnson's blog, I am much more enlightened. I like the type of teacher he is. He engages his students without scaring the them, bribing them, or blaming them. He also thinks outside of the box, which I feel is very much lacking. I am inspired by him as a future teacher. I enjoy his use of sarcasm and metaphors in his blog posts. His is a blog i will definitely continue to follow in the future.

Project #15 Part 2- EDM310... Experience The Video

Project 15 Part 1- EDM310...The Experience Trailer

Blog Post #12

This blog post is one that we create ourselves. I have decided to ask the question "Of all that you have learned, what are you most excited about using in your future classroom?" We have spent a lot of time reading and listening to other people's opinions of what should and should not be used in a classroom. Also, we have learned a lot. While this is not a reflection post of all that we have learned, I would like to know what skills everyone is excited to utilize.
I will definitely stay in tune with all the advancements in technology and how they relate to my instruction. I'm sure I will use all the skills I have learned in EDM310. As for myself, I will definitely have a class blog for my students. I will have a class blog for my students to keep up to date on things within the class. And I will also have a second blog that my students are more of a part of. I will be teaching social studies and I feel that is a great way to connect my students with other students around the world. I would love for them to be able to talk with other students and learn of other cultures first hand. Other skills I've learned will be incorporated into my blog, such as podcasts. But being able to connect my students with others is my top priority.

Progress Report on Final Project

Honestly, I have my group for the final project. It is the same group I am working with for Project 15 and we have been so busy with it, we have not decided what we are doing for the final project.

Project 14- Teach Someone

Analysis of Project #6

I chose to do Project #6 about fellow student's experience in high school. While some questions I asked got a different answer every time,I did notice that most of the people in my survey group graduated high school in the 2000s, so many of the questions were answered similarly. I was hoping to capture a variety of ages, because so many college students are not of traditional ages anymore. Next time I did this project, I would try a different topic.

Blog Post #11

I am very encouraged after watching the videos with Mrs. Cassidy. Her use of technology in the classroom, especially at such a young age, is inspiring. These children are learning to use valuable tools in the 1st grade, which is beneficial on multiple levels. For starters, by them staying current on technology, they are able to adapt to and learn new technology as it appears. Secondly, they are learning skills that they will utilize for the rest of their lives. Thirdly, they are able to collaborate with other children around the world.

I definitely plan to implement the use of blogs in my classroom. I would like my students to be able to collaborate with other students on project, such as learning about customs in other countries. I will be a social studies teacher and feel that technology will be very beneficial to my lessons. If I can teach them about Russia, why not also put them in contact with people in Russia? Technology is so beneficial to educators and their students. I want to keep up with current technology and assist my students in their educational journey. My opinion is the biggest problem I may encounter is that students may not have had exposure to technology prior to entering my classroom in the middle or high school level. To remedy this, I must be knowledgeable enough to be able to teach the use of technology, as well as my social studies lessons.

C4T #3

For my 3rd teacher, I was assigned Larry Ferlazzo.
Comment #1
His post is as follows:
“Southeast Asians Make Great Strides In U.S.”
Filed under social studies
“Southeast Asians Make Great Strides In U.S.” is the headline of an article in the Sacramento Bee. It discusses the Mien, Vietnamese and Hmong.
I’m adding the article to The Best Websites To Learn About The Hmong.
My comment:
Hi Larry,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. I enjoyed reading your post, as well as the article you attached. I feel that in the multi-cultural world that we live in, it is important to know about the different ethnic groups, as well as their journey and struggles to get here. While I am in Alabama and we do not have much of an Asian population, as a future Social Studies teacher, I feel I need to be properly educated on all ethnic groups. On a personal note, I feel proud for each of the groups mentioned in the article. Everyone has their own struggle, but it also shows that if you want something bad enough, you will work until you succeed. And that is a lesson I will be sure to instill in my students.
Thank you for sharing,
Brittany Schneider
Comment #2
His post is as follows:

Halloween Additions
Filed under social studies
Here are even more additions to The Best Websites For Learning About Halloween:
Slate has a slideshow of older Halloween images.
Masked politics: Halloween favorites in Washington and elsewhere is the title of a Washington Post slideshow.
My Parents Loved Halloween is a fun site where people post pictures of how their parents celebrated Halloween.
My response:
Hi Larry,
I very much enjoyed this blog post. Personally, Halloween is my second favorite holiday, falling behind Christmas. I hope to be able to teach about all holidays celebrated, especially in the United States, in depth. In all of my social studies classes, little was taught about Halloween. Thank you for sharing all of this with us. You inspire me to dig deeper and give more information than just the standard, mainstream information available.
Brittany Schneider
EDM310
University of South Alabama

C4K #3, 4, 5, 6, 7

I commented on Room 16's Got Talent Blog, Post 7 for my C4K #3. Their post was:
Rippa Rugby
On saturday 28 students went on a trip to go and watch Auckland Vs Welligton. We went there to go and play rippa rugby. We did not have any traings but we still came a tie at Eden park. We Went by bus on the expoler bus. We where playing as scotland. We played canada they where deven port school. When we got on to the felid we got the first try then they got the next try and another try. Then it came for our next half Tui got the next try and then Lepa got the next that made us win by one. But then it was to much and they got a try. It was so cold and it was so cold that you would slip over. After our game we watch the Auckland VS Welligton ITM match.We where shouting wildy shouting Auckland Auckland saying it over and over. Woo it was loud. Auckland was chucking some small balls and huge balls. Auckland Won Twenety one to sixteen and the crowd went wild YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Auckland won. In the end I felt Tired
My comment:
BrittanySchneider said...
Hi. My name is Brittany and I am a student of the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama, USA. I am in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class. I enjoyed your blog post. What an exciting trip! You did a great job at rippa rugby! To tie without any prior training, you should be proud of yourself! Also, I'm sure you had a great time at the game. It's always so exciting when you attend a game and the team you are cheering for wins! I would be tired too. You had a very long, but fun day. Thank you for sharing your experience.
For my C4K#4, I was assigned Ryhanh's blog.
His post was as follows:
In the weekend I went to my mums house. As soon as I got to my Mums we had Potato and Egg Cassorole. When I got out of my Mums van my little brother Jacob-James was soaking wet. Then I went inside to see my baby sister Kansas-Jade. Before we went to my mums house we had to go to the Warehouse to replace my mums dvd player. After we had dinner we went to my aunty Stacey’s. We stayed at my aunty Staceys for the night. For breakfast on Saturday morning we had Tomatos on toast. After about 2 hours my aunty Jasmine and my Uncle nick came over. On sunday morning for breakfast we had chops and egg on toast. After breakfast I helped mum with the dishes and then we watched Garfield The Movie and Ice Age. Then for tea we had Chicken and roast. AND THAT WAS THE END OF MY WEEKEND.
My comment:
Hi, my name is Brittany Schneider and I am from the USA. I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. Wow- reading your post made me hungry! Thank you for sharing your weekend with us. It sounds like you had a good time and got to visit with a lot of your family. How did you like Ice Age? I really liked it. It was very funny! Also, it’s great you helped your mom with the dishes. That shows responsibility on your part. I am also a mom and I love when my daughter helps me do things around the house. She especially likes helping me cook. Keep up the good work on your blog!
Comments for Kids Additional Assignment
Blog:

The Other Side of Learning

Education is important. As an adolescent going through the school system, I can honestly say that school is preparing me to become a contributing member of society not just a knowledgeable person. Many people think that the point of going to school is to learn math, science, reading, and writing, but that is only half of the truth. The famous quote, “Life is a journey, not a destination” can be applied to the idea of education; education is a journey, not a destination.

The most important things I have learned in school are as follows (in no particular order):

1. I learned how to listen
2. I learned how to work with my peers (both smarter and less smart than myself)
3. I learned how to communicate with adults
4. I learned how to articulate my ideas
5. I learned how to ask questions
6. I learned how to ask for help
7. I learned how to manage my time
8. I learned the importance of integrity
9. I learned how to defend my opinions
10. I learned how to respect other people’s opinions
11. I learned how to be social
12. I learned how to study
13. I learned how to solve problems
14. I learned to think creatively

The process of learning things has taught me more about the world, people, and myself than any lecture has ever done. A population without this rite is at a great disservice, because if the youth don’t learn about these important aspects of their lives before they are brainwashed by the thinking’s of their society then when will they learn?

In English class we have been reading The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver. I came across this passage and I was saddened by its implications, “crowds of boys from our village and the next one over come straggling in for their education. It’s only the boys, and not all of them either, since most of the parents don’t approve of learning French or the other foreign element in general” ( 126). One thing that strikes me in this passage is that all of the boys don’t go to school. Later on in the passage Rachel (the speaker) says, “by the time they are twelve or so, their education is over and out.” I understand that boys and girls are expected to help keep the village functioning, but if a little more time and effort were invested into education then the village could greatly benefit from increased efficiency and higher technology. Another thing I noticed was the parent’s rejection of education. They are stuck in a vicious cycle. The parents are only repeating what they did as children, but societies like these need education. The amounts of good that a sound education could provide for places like this are endless. The most disheartening thing about this passage was the fact that girls are neglected an education. I know how different their lives could be if they were educated. I draw a lot of my confidence from the knowledge and schooling that I have. I am able to talk to anyone, man or women, professor or waiter because I have confidence in my ability to articulate my ideas, confidence to defend my ideas, and the confidence that I deserve their time. People believe what they are taught, and if you are taught that your role in the family is to cook, clean, and bear children, then that becomes your personal narrative. However, if you are able to go to school and be exposed to different cultures, ideologies, and experiences or if you are able to be taught by someone who harnesses your potential then the course of your life could be incredibly altered. For me, my mind has been opened by studying the craft behind language and I have been empowered by teachers who have pushed me to my intellectual limits.

The oppression of girls around the world is scary, as I was reading about women in Saudi Arabia, I found this bit of information from A Human Rights Watch report (July 8, 2009). Saudi law “requires Saudi women to obtain permission from male guardians (fathers, husbands, brothers, or male children) before they can carry out a host of day-to-day activities, such as education, employment, travel, opening a bank account, or receiving medical care.” Imagine if your life was manipulated by someone else, someone who might not always have your best interests in mind? The scarier thought though, is that these women might not realize the injustices that they are living in. Because it is the norm in Saudi Arabia to be subordinate to males how could women know to expect more? Education is the answer to that question, and the opportunity for both boys and girls to be educated would make the world a better place, I guarantee it.

Posted by Shawshaw24 at 10:17 PM
My Comment:

BrittanySchneider said...

Hi. I am a student in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. Your post is excellent. You give a lot of great points regarding education. There are so many lessons to be learned, other than just the information that is presented to us. Education is a journey, and one I feel should never stop. It is important to not take our freedom, especially in regards to education, for granted. So many people are not allowed the rights to learn the way we are and unfortunately so many of us throw our opportunities away. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. I look forward to reading your future posts. C4K#5 I was assigned a student in Miss Byrne's class, Reagan. Her blog post:  

My teacher Miss Byrnes and my class are going to be doing a video about ourselfs. I dont want to look like a goof but I will. I will bring some baby pictures of me and then some from the years growing up. I hope my class doesnt laugh at me but if they do i will probably laugh with them. I’m worried about this Windows Movie maker i’ve never used it before and im kind of scared. My teacher wont help me if i have questions. So if you know about WINDOWS MOVIE MAKER let me know. Thanks 
My comment:
Hi Reagan,
My name is Brittany and I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I understand your fear of Windows Movie Maker. I just used it for the first time myself a few weeks ago. We were required to make a podcast and I used movie maker to edit my podcast before posting it to my blog. It is very easy to use. I’m sure that if I can do it, you can too! I’m sure everyone will get a good chuckle over everyone’s pictures. But, it is all in good fun! Everyone changes so much between birth and 7th grade. Good luck with your project and think optimistically! Thank you for sharing with us!

For my C4K #6, I was assigned Valen's blog. His post was as follows:
My teacher Greta!
October 6, 2010 ~ 8 Comments
I have a teacher that her name is Greta. She is very funny and she plays with us. We have fun and we learn a lot !! She has a cat, his name is Cookie ! Greta took pictures of her cat and the next day she showed them to us. We laugh a lot with her!! All Fridays at the end of the class we have “Singing Fridays” that means that she invites us to come to the front but only who want to sing. And the songs are in English! That is very funny
Valen
My comment was as follows:
Hi Valen,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I enjoyed reading your blog. I’m so glad you like your teacher. It will definitely make the class more enjoyable. Singing Fridays sounds like a lot of fun! Do you go to the front of the class and sing too? Its important to have fun while learning. We have fun and laugh a lot in my class too.
Keep up the good work!
Brittany
For my C4K #7, I was assigned Sarah R. Her comment was:
Washington Parish Fair
October 22, 2010 ~ 2 Comments
Hi, yesterday we went to a fair. We had lots of fun!! First we went to the petting zoo. We got to pet the bunnies, cows, and goats. After we got to go pretend we were milking the cow. Then we got to go pet the chicks. Later we got to pet another cow. After we got to eat our food. Trust me there was alot of bees in that place! Afterward we got to get snowballs. They were good! Next we got to go look in cabins at Miles Branch Settlement. I bought cheese from the genral store. It was pretty big to me! THEN BOUGHT A PING PONG GUN. Afterward we got to go play on the playground! I got play with my gun on a hill! Then we had to go home. I HAD SO MUCH FUN!
My comment:
Hi Sarah,
My name is Brittany Schneider and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I enjoyed reading your blog. It sounds like you had a lot of fun at the fair! It is great that you get to go on a field trip and have that much fun!! I love going to petting zoos. What is your favorite animal? Snowballs are my absolute favorite thing about festivals and fairs. I had not one, but two a few weeks ago at a festival we have close to here called the Shrimp Festival. Buying things while on a field trip are a great way to remember the experience. Do you have any more trips coming up?
Keep up the good work,
Brittany

Project 13- Smartboard Instruction

Blog Post #10

After reading "An Open Letter to Educators," it validates my feelings after watching Sir Ken Robinson's video. There is a major problem in our education system today. So many of my classroom experiences have been this way. This motivates me to be a different type of teacher. I want to be an educator and not shove facts down my student's throats. I want to make a change and motivate my students. It is a shame that there are so many "teachers" out there who are simply presenting information and never truly educating their students.

The solution is never addressed in "Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home". A study is done, but the problem is pointed out without the suggestion of a solution. Aside from that, why do these administrators expect the worse of their students? The basic point was they would not use "pencils" for learning, instead for games. Why would someone in charge not try to find a way to help the students utilize these "pencils" for the positive? It seems that schools are more focused on themselves and not in the interest of their students.

After watching "Two Questions That Can Change Your Life," I believe my sentence will be "She truly educated and motivated her students, served as a mentor, and allowed her students to dream and assisted in them realizing their dreams." Each person, not just man, should have a sentence of what they did or what they contributed to society. As future educators, we must always put our student's interest first and help the grow and develop through our lessons. Isn't that why we are becoming teachers in the first place?