Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Blog Post #3
Peer reviewing is a necessary process of writing. Without it, teachers would be plagued with reading all of our unnoticed and simple errors. For years I have always based the quality of my paper from peer reviews. However, from watching the videos What is Peer Editing and Writing and Peer Editing Top 10 Mistakes, I realized that I shouldn’t be so critical of myself as well as my peers.
When reviewing a student’s paper, it is always best to let them know what you liked about their paper first. That way the student won’t feel like their paper is horrible. A great suggestion that I received from a past English teacher is to name three strengths and three weaknesses. When editing a paper always be clear about what needs to be fixed but never sound bossy or demanding.
Through my experience with peer editing, I have become a stronger writer. Whenever I have a paper to write, I will always take my paper to one of my peers for review. My peers always catch mistakes that I easily look over. Ultimately, peer reviewing really makes a difference in my overall grade.
2a)
The video Technology in Special Education was very informative. This video opened my eyes to how important technology is for special needs students. My generation is known for being tech savvy which means that our learning capabilities excel very fast. Because we are so technologically inclined, life is a bit easier. Technology helps give special needs children a voice as well as independence.
The video Technology in Special Education proved that technology is a learning aid where as many people believe it is a hindrance in schools. In this situation, students were able to use iPods, laptops and smart boards to make learning easier and fun. Students were able to finish assignments faster and work independently. Technology is a necessary part of learning and should be implemented in more schools.
2b)
Although an Ipad is bit expensive it can be used extensively for teaching children. There are literally thousands of apps, so finding an app for a specific child would be easy. The reason the Ipad works so well for education is that the child is having fun while learning. It keeps them engaged and makes them interact to gain knowledge. An app that I found useful for any class room was “Read along”. This app enables children to read along with the Ipad. The book could be about their favorite cartoons or television shows. For example, if a student of mine loves Sponge Bob, he or she can read about Sponge Bob along with the Ipad. So if it is a word that the student does not know, this app will sound out the sentence for them. This app would encourage students to be excited about reading.
3) The movie Harness Your Students’ Digital Smarts showed how Mrs. Vicki Davis, a wonderful teacher in rural Georgia, used technology to enrich the minds of her students. Her enthusiasm was captivating as well as inspiring. She has a sincere motive to get her students be active thinkers. By incorporating modern technology, students were able to meet people from around the world.
Mrs. Davis is widely recognized for her initiative to incorporate the use of technology in today’s schools. It is refreshing to see a teacher so enthused about teaching students. She shares a mutual learning bond from her students because she learns new things from them. Mrs. Davis believes that if she can teacher her students to think on a higher level, then they will be more successful later on in life. I agree with Mrs. Davis and applaud her for her efforts. I believe that if you learn how to accurately access technology, you will have the key to infinite knowledge.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Blog Post #2
1.) Did you know...
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In the "Did you know" video by Dr.Strange and "Did you know"by Karl Fisch and Scott Mcleod, there was an amazing amount of facts presented. The reality of the technology that we have yet to see is mind blowing. Think about it. Some people are still trying to adjust to the technology of today. In both videos it was stated that teachers are teaching students for jobs and careers that are not even in existence yet. The thought of that alone makes my mind wonder. What does the future hold for the children of this generation. Our kids and grand kids will be exposed to technology that we haven't encountered yet; so how will we be able to help them adjust to the future?
Another thing that caught my attention in the "Did you know" videos is how intelligent other countries are becoming. Take India for example, 25% of India's population with the highest IQ's is greater than the total population of the United States. This factual information is a hard pill to swallow. Not only India, but China will eventually become the number one English speaking country in the world. Other countries are becoming superior to America in more ways than one. No one knows what the future holds, but one thing is for sure, technology will be a major factor in years to come.
2.) "Mr. Winkle Wakes".......
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The video "Mr. Winkles Wakes" by Matthew Needlemen was an excellent video portraying that no matter how much technology and the world changes, the basics of school are still the same. Not saying the same as in not moving forward in technology, but as in still teaching the basics like reading, writing, and arithmetic. The history of teaching dates back hundreds of years. I like that no matter how much had changed in 100 years, Mr. Winkle was still able to find comfort in something that he was familiar with. I believe that over time Mr. Winkle will adapt to the technology around him.
I wish the video ("Mr. Winkle Wakes") was a tad bit longer so it could show how Mr. Winkle adapts to the new technology around him. This video is an example of how much things can evolve over the course of 100 years. As an educator we must teach our students well and instill great values in them so that they won't become a Mr. Winkle in their lifetime. Also as teachers we must continue to learn about new technology so that we can teach our students about the new technology. I feel that educators need to embrace new technology to help themselves and their students.
3.) Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
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I really enjoyed Ken Robinson's lecture on the importance of creativity. I love Mr. Robinson's outlook on educating kids in the future. No child is the same; they are all different. Some kids are going to grow up to be athletes, doctors, lawyers, and teachers, so its important to learn how to engage with kids' creative side. Ken Robinson did an excellent job on keeping his audience engaged with his jokes.
I feel that if you don't allow a child to use the creative part of their mind, over a period of time they will lose their creativity. In my opinion students learn better when a teacher is creative, because being creative grasp their attention and makes them want to learn. Mathematics, reading, and writing will always be important in education, but sometimes educators need to step out of the box and teach a child how to connect with their creative side.
4.) Classroom Disruption
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The video "Classroom Disruption" is a video that portrays two classrooms, with two teachers, who have two completely different teaching methods. In the first classroom, the teacher enters with happiness and joy. His energy is expressed by the way he greets his students with excitement. In the second classroom the teacher enters with a monotone grumpy voice. This makes the students feel as if they're being persecuted for being at school. The second teacher walked in and began to boss his students around by giving out orders. The second teacher also has a lifeless plain classroom that is full of non-interactive grief. On the other hand the teacher in the first class has a classroom filled with life, computers, and other gadgets to grasp the students attention. The looks on the students' faces tell two separate stories. The students in the first class face tells a story of excitement and a will to learn. The students in the second class faces express a look of dismay and lack of interest.
As and educator you should strive to be like the teacher in the first classroom. There are too many teachers who sit behind a desk and bash students over the head with lectures and assignments. I'm a firm believer in having an interactive classroom. In order to be a great teacher that interacts with your class, you have to be up to date on all of the new technology. The teacher in the second classroom didn't look to be up to speed with the current technology. The teacher in the first class used the internet and social networks to his advantage for his class. Teachers must learn to use all of the resources around them to learn. Technology is a vital part of today's educational system.
In the "Did you know" video by Dr.Strange and "Did you know"by Karl Fisch and Scott Mcleod, there was an amazing amount of facts presented. The reality of the technology that we have yet to see is mind blowing. Think about it. Some people are still trying to adjust to the technology of today. In both videos it was stated that teachers are teaching students for jobs and careers that are not even in existence yet. The thought of that alone makes my mind wonder. What does the future hold for the children of this generation. Our kids and grand kids will be exposed to technology that we haven't encountered yet; so how will we be able to help them adjust to the future?
Another thing that caught my attention in the "Did you know" videos is how intelligent other countries are becoming. Take India for example, 25% of India's population with the highest IQ's is greater than the total population of the United States. This factual information is a hard pill to swallow. Not only India, but China will eventually become the number one English speaking country in the world. Other countries are becoming superior to America in more ways than one. No one knows what the future holds, but one thing is for sure, technology will be a major factor in years to come.
2.) "Mr. Winkle Wakes".......
I wish the video ("Mr. Winkle Wakes") was a tad bit longer so it could show how Mr. Winkle adapts to the new technology around him. This video is an example of how much things can evolve over the course of 100 years. As an educator we must teach our students well and instill great values in them so that they won't become a Mr. Winkle in their lifetime. Also as teachers we must continue to learn about new technology so that we can teach our students about the new technology. I feel that educators need to embrace new technology to help themselves and their students.
3.) Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
I really enjoyed Ken Robinson's lecture on the importance of creativity. I love Mr. Robinson's outlook on educating kids in the future. No child is the same; they are all different. Some kids are going to grow up to be athletes, doctors, lawyers, and teachers, so its important to learn how to engage with kids' creative side. Ken Robinson did an excellent job on keeping his audience engaged with his jokes.
I feel that if you don't allow a child to use the creative part of their mind, over a period of time they will lose their creativity. In my opinion students learn better when a teacher is creative, because being creative grasp their attention and makes them want to learn. Mathematics, reading, and writing will always be important in education, but sometimes educators need to step out of the box and teach a child how to connect with their creative side.
4.) Classroom Disruption
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The video "Classroom Disruption" is a video that portrays two classrooms, with two teachers, who have two completely different teaching methods. In the first classroom, the teacher enters with happiness and joy. His energy is expressed by the way he greets his students with excitement. In the second classroom the teacher enters with a monotone grumpy voice. This makes the students feel as if they're being persecuted for being at school. The second teacher walked in and began to boss his students around by giving out orders. The second teacher also has a lifeless plain classroom that is full of non-interactive grief. On the other hand the teacher in the first class has a classroom filled with life, computers, and other gadgets to grasp the students attention. The looks on the students' faces tell two separate stories. The students in the first class face tells a story of excitement and a will to learn. The students in the second class faces express a look of dismay and lack of interest.
As and educator you should strive to be like the teacher in the first classroom. There are too many teachers who sit behind a desk and bash students over the head with lectures and assignments. I'm a firm believer in having an interactive classroom. In order to be a great teacher that interacts with your class, you have to be up to date on all of the new technology. The teacher in the second classroom didn't look to be up to speed with the current technology. The teacher in the first class used the internet and social networks to his advantage for his class. Teachers must learn to use all of the resources around them to learn. Technology is a vital part of today's educational system.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Blog post #1
About Me: Hello, my name is Justin Walker. I am 21 years old and I'm a Physical Education major at the University of South Alabama. I'm a native of Mobile, Alabama and I have lived here all of my life. I attended Faith Academy in High School where I graduated in 2009. I am also a member of the University of South Alabama Football team. I was originally supposed to attend the Univeristy of Southern Mississippi to play football and Major in Sports Medicine. I began to look into USA's football program and I had a great feeling about college football coming to Mobile. By being from Mobile I already knew about South's excellence in academics. That encouraged me to attend the wonderful University of South Alabama.
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I have two siblings, Timothy(23) and Christopher(18). I have a wonderful loving family whom I enjoy spending much time with. My interest include: sports, mentoring youth, music, church, and playing the drums.I am also a DJ and have been in this profession for the last four years. My reasons for entering the field of education are: inspiring kids to have a bright future, steering kids in the right direction, and helping kids understand the importance of education. I have a passion for mentoring kids and sports.I feel that my passion may lead me into the coaching field, where I can mentor young men and still be involved in sports. My passion will also lead me to make sure that every student that I encounter gets a proper education. It is vital that children receive a great education, because they are the future leaders of tomorrow.
Time Management
Randy Pausch on Time Management When I watched Dr.Pausch's video on Time Management, I learned how effective planning things out can be. Dr. Pausch emphasized that having a plan is key and that you can and that you can always adjust your plan, but at least have a plan. In the video Dr. Pausch made a clear point that you should have a to do list to help manage your time. This presentation allowed me to analyze and correct the flaws that I had in my time management skills. Before watching this video I had a problem with procrastination. Now I have created a daily to do list to rid my life of procrastination.
Time Management
Randy Pausch on Time Management When I watched Dr.Pausch's video on Time Management, I learned how effective planning things out can be. Dr. Pausch emphasized that having a plan is key and that you can and that you can always adjust your plan, but at least have a plan. In the video Dr. Pausch made a clear point that you should have a to do list to help manage your time. This presentation allowed me to analyze and correct the flaws that I had in my time management skills. Before watching this video I had a problem with procrastination. Now I have created a daily to do list to rid my life of procrastination.
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