Project 9b

Final Reflection

My final PLN report

I plan to keep using my PLN after leaving this class. I have twitter, my contacts information, ebay and much more of the things I plan to use.

Special Metaphor Assignment Blog Post #14

People use metaphors everyday without us knowing it or even being aware of it. With most of us it is an everyday language. We use them to describe something or to say things we really don't want to come out and say. In the Blog Post #10, I missed the metaphor about the pencils totally. I knew it was something weird about the kids not being able to take the pencils home to do their school work but we have ran into a few weird post this semester to me. So I never thought anymore about it. I am glad to know that I was wrong and I am glad to know that we can correct it.

Final Project #16

Project #14

Project #15 Book Trailer

Blog Post #13

ALEX is a very unique tool that has different tabs you can click on to access lots of information that can be useful in you teaching profession. These tabs include "Course of Study", which has English Language Arts, Mathematics, Arts Education, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education to name a few. "Lesson Plans" in which you can create a lesson plan or yu can access ALEX lesson plans by title, author, or school. "Web Links" includes resources for teachers, administrators, and students. "Search" is where you can search the Alabama Course of Study. "Personal Workspace" is where you can create your own account, change your password or email address. "Professional Learning", it is here that you can get grant opportunities and teaching and learning tools. "Podcast Treasury Gallery 360" is where you can search for podcast pertaining to your lesson and create your podcast. And last, "ALEXville", here you can communicate with your colleagues, keep up with latest ALEX news, and follow various ALEX professional learning communities.
This will be very helpful for me when I begin teaching. It will help me develop my lesson plans at least give me a head start on how to begin to create one. The resources that are available at just a click will make life easy also. Just about everything you need is in your fingertips, you just have to clicking and looking.

Blog Assignment #12 Skype

Blog Assignment #10

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Dan tells us that he quit his university because he was being schooled and not educate. When you really think about it we all are. We sit and listen to the instructor and take notes and a week later take a test on those notes. He tells us that facts are free. Paying a university for facts that are free on the internet. The internet is changing constantly and being updated by the minute. New facts and information is right at your fingertips with the click of a button. Yes facts are important to know but our evolving world doesn't care. We are now being left behind because of being tech illiterate. Technology waits for noone and it's all on you to educate yourself in the world of technology.






Tom Johnson's "Don't let them take pencils home!


This was very weird to me. Kids taking pencils or not should not be an issue unless they don't have any to do their work with. I'm planning to be a math teacher some day and my students will need pencils to do their work. Because with me practice is perfect. The more math you do the better you get at it. Also you, the teacher, can not control what goes on at home with your students but you can control what goes on in your classroom. Giving them the best of you and your ability to teach them will go further than you know.

Blog Assignment #9

"What I've Learned This Year" by Mr. Clung



He tells us how he was so caught up in making sure he pleased his superiors that he lost focus on making sure the students understood what he was teaching. We have to be certain that whenever we start teaching, it's about the students and their comprehension of the work we give to them. We have a good relationship with our co-workers as well as getting to know our students. We need to go into this profession with an open mind as to nothing is perfect but it's up to us to make the best out of nothing. When we learn to love what we do then everything else will come as second nature. When the students learn, you learn.

Blog Assignment #8

Richard Miller: "This is How We Dream"
Richard Miller in the first video talks about everything being on the internet. Nothing now is in paper form. He tells us how we have evolved over the years from paper to computers. He grew up with book all around him and now you can find any book you need on the internet.

In the second video he tells us the internet is being updated constantly. People share their ideas freely on the internet. He stated that "ideas do not belong to us as an individual but as a culture". People are composing with the web everyday. The way we teach, pedagogy, will soon be enveloped with technology.

EDM310 for Dummies
Enjoyable!!!!! This class will make you feel just the way those two ladies did at first. Not being able to understand what was needed of you. Feeling like the lone ranger in the desert with no water. These are just a few instances that I went through at the beginning of the semester. But low and behold, I have seen the light. Put in a little effort and ask for help, watch the tutorials, and visit the lab maybe twice a week and I do believe this class is tolerable.

C4T #3

Students jobs responsibility and contributions by Silvia Tolisano
Getting kids to help along with their learning is a good way to incorporate leadership, learning skills, and responsibility. They have different roles in which each person has a job to do in furthering their knowledge.

ECIS 2011 Conference-Frankfurt, Germany
This week Silvia posted slides of a conference she was at in Frankfurt, Germany. They were awesome. Her display of knowledge for technology is great. She tells us that the keys to the 21st century skills are learn, create, collaborate, connect, and communicate. In her slides we can see how she has jobs for all her students in the classroom. Some are blogging, some back channeling, some videographers, some photographers to some being note takers. Each child had a part to play and each role was just as important as the next. This concept gives the child a sense of responsibility and leadership.

SMARTboard Lesson

My PLN

http://www.symbaloo.com/#

Symbaloo is what I use for my personal learning network. I use it to access my google account for gmail, to go on YouTube. I also have twitter and ebay. I have all the things I need to access right there in one spot. I can get the views on the latest news from CNN.
Also I'm a sports person, all the sports I want is right there.

My Movie: Why I want to be a teacher?

Blog Assignment #7

"Randy Pausch The Last Lecture"



This video is very inspiring. He lets us know that he is dying and there is no need for us to cry for him because he is not sad, he really enjoying himself. He doesn't tell us about his condition but rather he tells us about how to achieve our dreams and the dreams of others.
He was once an author in the World Book of Encyclopedia, a Disney Imagineer and he has been a zero gravity. He was a teacher that put his students in groups and gave them the freedom of coming up with projects using virtual reality. Mr. Pausch was a motivational speaker. He has given inspirational speeches to graduates at the Carnegie Mellon University and lectures to thousands.
The most powerful thing Mr. Pausch has said that sticks in my mind is "It's not about how to achieve your dreams but how to lead your life."

Blog Post #6

"The Networked Student"


This is a great example of how Dr. Strange encourage us. We go out into the networked world of technology and learn as much as possible. It's up to us to take advantage of this technological world. The resources are out there as well as the information on just about anything you want to know about. Getting connected to people around the world expands your knowledge and your insight on things far away.

"A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment"


Having student that takes initiative to do their school work is amazing. Her PLE is something she made to fit her interest. Having a 7th grader go on glogster and send it to a scientist to ask them to check and see if the information is correct is great. In our area, I can't say that we have students that do things on that level. They are closed off to the world to an extent. Blogging to people all over the world have not been an option for them. Having someone from Sweden teach you math through Skype for a day is unheard of. But I believe before long, we will be on that level and more better surpass it also.

"Why Smartboards are a Dumb Initiative by Michael Staton"

When I first saw a smartboard I was amazed. I still think they are of some use but not for a whole useful tool. This class opens your eyes to so much more that is out there. Being limited to just a projector or a smartboard is not very resourceful for you or your students.

Project 9a

No Burp Back Education

Blog Assignment #5

"Eagle Nest Radio and Class Blog"


This is a 3rd grade class that did a podcast on the ancient Romans. They talked about things from the gladiators fighting in the coliseum to Julius Caesar, a Roman general, to Cleopatra VII the queen of Egypt, even though she was Greek. They give you an overview of the history of the Romans.

"The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom."
Podcasting gives your students the benefits of having excitement in the classroom. This approach gets your students into a higher order of learning. Podcasting with you class can be beneficial to the student and to the parent. The parent can keep up with what their child is doing in their classroom.


"Students as Contributors in the Classroom"
Students are given jobs in the classroom. This gives them more responsibility and it also helps their classmates as well as themselves. They are given different jobs from doing the calendars which lets them know what days they will be skyping, interviewers that ask the questions of the people they skype, they have to prepare their questions in advance. They also have a photographer and a videographer. I actually love this idea in how it gets the kids involved.

Presentation

This is My Sentence.

Blog Assignment #4

"Don't teach your kids this stuff."
At first reading Mr. Scott McLeod's blog, I thought he was closed minded to technology but as I read further my mind was changed. It was interesting in how he was wording things but at the end of it, it all made sense. It does make you wonder who will have a leg up in a decade. My plan is to become a teacher that is tech literate and ready to learn more as I teach. The more I know, the more my students will know.

"The iSchool Initiative. Does technology belong in the classroom?"
This video that was done by Travis is an informative one. I never thought of the iPad doing all those things. That right there lets me know that technology waits on no one. Being able to access all the tools you need for school at your finger tips is mind blowing. Checking out books, scientific calculator, taking notes are just a few of the things that are accessible and all on one technological device.

"Lost Generation"
Creativity is amazing. The idea came across strongly. Reading it one was made things seems hopeless for their generation but once read backwards the concept changed. The generation would not be hopeless. The families would stay together and 10year reunion of divorce would not be. I think we all have to be willing to learn and apply that knowledge to whatever we do.


"Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir"
Breathtaking! I would love to be a part of this choir. It blew me away to see how good they were and everyone was in a different place. Technology is absolutely great. To be a part of a choir, do rehearsals, live in another city and not leave your home. I really can't say a lot about it because it made me speechless. "I LOVED IT".


"What does it mean to teach"
What caught my eye was the sentence "teachers are no longer the source of knowledge". This is so true in so many ways. Kids now have technology in the form of cellphones, facebook, wikipedia, iPads and much more. Knowledge is everywhere but if we (teachers) won't to be significant in a students learning, we have to be able to keep up with the technology that is out there. Also we can not restrict our students to expressing their ideas. We need to encourage them to be creative. You never know, you may have the next "Einstein" in your classroom.

Blog Assignment #3

"It's Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines

Kelly Hines puts in all in a nutshell. It's not just about technology but it's also about you ( the teacher), willing to learn new innovations and learning how to incorporate that into your students. It's also about the kids, as said before every child does not learn the same. It's up to you, the teacher, to find out about each of your student and what it takes for them to learn.
It's true that technology is the future and we are getting more and more advance. This is why we have to stay on top of things and be ready at all times for whatever comes our way. Our students will be looking to us for their education and our duty to make sure they get the best we have.

"Karl Fisch: Is it ok to be a technologically illiterate teacher?"
I say no. But he puts it in harsh words. I think if you are going to teach yes you need to be tech literate. Our kids need to have that extra advantage which now is not an advantage because most countries now have more technology than the Unites States. But everybody does not learn the same or in the same fashion. So it's up to you as the teacher to learn your students and their needs and adjust accordingly.
Also, to hold me responsible for someone not willing to become tech literate is not fair. No, I think they need to teach but it's not up to me to say.

"Gary Hayes Social Media Count."
It is astounding as to how much people use technology in a minute. I make me wonder if there is anything else that people do in a day's time besides use technology. That counter is changing exponentially. My question is "Is this counter just for the United States or is there other countries also in those numbers?"

Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today

This video is powerful in the fact that no one is speaking but it is very loud in what it is saying. College classes are exactly this way. We (students) sit in a classroom and listen to our instructors lecture to us and we are expected to remember this one sided conversation. Technology is the lifesaver for the future. The younger generation is all about technology and for us to reach and teach them, we need to be all about technology.
Kids are interested in Facebook, Twitter, IPads, and a lot more technology that most teachers are not using. Educators have to learn to use this technology to reach and teach their students in order for them to learn the necessary material for them to succeed in this upcoming world of technology.
I feel privilege to have the opportunity to become a part of the evolving world of technology. I am excited to get a chance to show my students all of the world and not just their small town or city.

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

"Teacherpreneur" was a word used by Vicki Adams in the video. This implies to me that she is a teacher that excels in whatever she loves to do. A teacher that is open to new ideas. This video is an inspiration. It lets me see the future as to what I would like for my classes to become. The technology that is brought to this class in a rural area is astounding. Most rural areas are closed off to the outside world but Ms. Adams brings the world to them.
Connecting your students to the world is an important task we (teachers) face in the future. Technology is the tool in getting the students connected.

Cecelia Gault (Young Student in Finland) Interviews Sir Ken Robinson

I enjoyed watching this young give an interview to an adult ass if she was one herself. It also made me feel embarrassed because does the U.S. have kids on that level. I can honestly say yes but not as many as it should be. Just like this class, some kids learn on their own and other have to be taught. Again this is where we as educators have got to step up our game and educate our students not school them. Anybody can be schooled but can everyone be educated?

Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity

Sir Ken Robinson caught my attention when he said his first word. His accent is alluring and amusing. He gives a few great points on the schools killing creativity. When we become teachers, we have to be open to all situations that will arise. The different diversities of our students will be a teacher in itself. We have to realize that everybody doesn't learn the same. Some will be bored with what you are teaching but it's up to you to find out what that child needs, so he/she can be taught as well.
Creativity is what helps the world go round. My student just maybe the next inventor for an outer space adventure for NASA. This lets me know that I can't be closed minded when it comes to my students. I do not want what Sir Ken Robinson said about "We don't grow into creativity, we grow out of it" to be the deciding factor in the fate of our future children. Imaginations come in different sizes, some big, some small, and some not at all. But the one that do come, let them flourish.

Mr. Winkle Wakes

This is a good illustration of how you can sleep but technology will not. Everything has upgraded technology but the schools did not. It is up to us (teachers) to get that technology in the classrooms. This is were we have got to be open to suggestions and new ideas. The students of tomorrow will be in the future, we have to make sure we are there also.
I plan to have video feeds, podcast, and much more to make my classroom as interesting as possible. I want my students to get all they can get and all they deserve. So it's up to me to get all the knowledge I can get pertaining to technology. The more I know, the more they will know.

Did You Know!

After watching this video, I feel like I have been living in the dark for the majority of my life. The world has been evolving and I have been stuck in limbo. It is disturbing to know that India had more honor students than the U.S. has kids. What have we been doing? Technology is the answer to it all. When we grasp the concept that we need technology, then is when we will exceed.
We as future educators have to be willing to learn as well as teach. The more we learn, the more we can teach our students. Open minds leads to big opportunities.

Taylor's Wordle

All About Taylor

My name is Shanda Taylor Williams. I live in Atmore, AL. My major is Secondary Education/ Math. I transferred here from Faulkner State in 2009 after graduation. I plan to continue on to get my doctorate. I am inspiring to become a principal at Escambia County High School in Atmore, my home town. I want to teach kids how to do math. A study was done on the education of the North versus the South and it was not good. The South scored very low in mathematical skills. This affects the working class citizen in so many ways. Companies will not bring their businesses to the south if the people can't do simple math.

I am married to Mr. Tony L. Williams, the greatest husband. I have three children, Lauren Ashleigh Taylor, she is 20 years old and attends Alabama State in Montgomery where she is a cheerleader. Da'Marcus Tillman Tayor, he is 17 years old and is a junior at Escambia County High School. Also he is in Honor's Class and is a running back on the football team (The Blue Devils). Brandon Travonne' Cummings, he is 12 years old and attend Escambia County Middle School. He plays with a traveling baseball team called the Alabama Rays. He pitches and plays shortstop(he's really good).

The most important things to me are my family. My life revolves around them. I follow my boys to all their games. i go to Montgomery to watch my daughter cheer at the football games. The best game was when she cheered at the Turkey Day Classics in Montgomery. They were on ESPN and they beat AUM.

Practice Post

My first post.