Tuesday, November 19, 2013
C4K Summary
C4T Summary
C4T# 3
Marc Prensky and Stephen Heppell are collaborating about the role of the teacher in todays world. They talk about how the most important asset that a teacher can posses in the ever so changing technology world is Courage. Courage is feeling the fear and doing it anyway. The teacher today must also encourage their fellow teachers. They must also give the student the feeling of trust. A student that knows that his or her teacher believes in them will make for a successful student.
This blog has not been responded to in three years. I left my comment but it did not show up on the site.
C4T#4
Beyond Minecraft: Games That Inspire Building and Exploration
Minecraft has introduced a lot of youth to games as well as the critical thinking, problem solving, and creation skills necessary for self-motivated learning. The games and sites have the potential to extend that learning, providing fresh outlets for self-expression in the digital world and beyond.
1. Garry’s Mod
Garry’s Mod (GMod) is a sandbox game like Minecraft but instead of building and exploring, students use a fun physics engine that simulates things like gravity and mass. They also use a virtual toy box of assets from Valve Software’s popular games. The tool is a step up in complexity from the elegant simplicity of Minecraft, but with Garry’s Mod,students are exposed to physics concepts while having madcap fun.
2. Kerbal Space Program
Kerbal Space Program has a robust physics engine too, but it’s more focused than Garry’s Mod. Players purchase rocket parts, put them together, and then see if they can get a ship into orbit, to one of two moons, or even to another planet. These aren’t easy tasks, so play is focused on trial and error testing, and, like Minecraft, seeking help from the community is part of a successful strategy.
3. Sound Shapes
Sound Shapes is a visually stunning platform puzzle game set to a rich musical soundscape. Even better: students can create and share their own levels – like interactive sheet music — using sounds and objects unlocked by playing the platform game. It’s an accessible entry point into musical composition as well as game design, and provides an experience that builds on the creativity of Minecraft while offering something wholly unique for music lovers.
4. DIY
For creative kids who want to get their hands dirty, check out DIY, a site where students can find things to build, instructions for how to build them, and ways to share their creations with others. All projects are aligned to 50 skills that run the gamut from outdoors to indoors, and feature various challenges to complete and cool badges to earn and display.
5. STENYCIL
Computer programming is a great next step for students who love to mod Minecraft or toy around with the redstone resource (which simulates basic logic and circuitry). One solid entry-level tool is Stencyl, a game creation program focused on codeless, cross-platform game making. By snapping blocks of code together, students can create games that can be published and played on a variety of platforms including mobile phones.
6. CODECADEMY
Codecademy is a web-based, self-paced site that teaches actual industry-standard languages like PHP, Javascript, Python, Ruby, HTML, and CSS. While students don’t create publishable games like they would in Stencyl, their learning is purpose-driven and contextualized, e.g. JavaScript for web development or Ruby for app development. And students do get to see their code’s output directly onscreen.
Lisa Smith
• a few seconds ago
Hello, my name is Lisa Smith and I am a student at The University of South Alabama majoring in Elementary Education. I am currently taking a technology course called EDM 310 and my professor assigned me to read your blog this week.
From viewing your site I have learned that Minecraft has introduced a lot of youth to games as well as the critical thinking, problem solving, and creation skills necessary for self-motivated learning. I intent to reference your site at much as possible as a tool to further my education experience.
Beyond Minecraft: Games That Inspire Building and Exploration
Minecraft has introduced a lot of youth to games as well as the critical thinking, problem solving, and creation skills necessary for self-motivated learning. The games and sites have the potential to extend that learning, providing fresh outlets for self-expression in the digital world and beyond.
1. Garry’s Mod
Garry’s Mod (GMod) is a sandbox game like Minecraft but instead of building and exploring, students use a fun physics engine that simulates things like gravity and mass. They also use a virtual toy box of assets from Valve Software’s popular games. The tool is a step up in complexity from the elegant simplicity of Minecraft, but with Garry’s Mod,students are exposed to physics concepts while having madcap fun.
2. Kerbal Space Program
Kerbal Space Program has a robust physics engine too, but it’s more focused than Garry’s Mod. Players purchase rocket parts, put them together, and then see if they can get a ship into orbit, to one of two moons, or even to another planet. These aren’t easy tasks, so play is focused on trial and error testing, and, like Minecraft, seeking help from the community is part of a successful strategy.
3. Sound Shapes
Sound Shapes is a visually stunning platform puzzle game set to a rich musical soundscape. Even better: students can create and share their own levels – like interactive sheet music — using sounds and objects unlocked by playing the platform game. It’s an accessible entry point into musical composition as well as game design, and provides an experience that builds on the creativity of Minecraft while offering something wholly unique for music lovers.
4. DIY
For creative kids who want to get their hands dirty, check out DIY, a site where students can find things to build, instructions for how to build them, and ways to share their creations with others. All projects are aligned to 50 skills that run the gamut from outdoors to indoors, and feature various challenges to complete and cool badges to earn and display.
5. STENYCIL
Computer programming is a great next step for students who love to mod Minecraft or toy around with the redstone resource (which simulates basic logic and circuitry). One solid entry-level tool is Stencyl, a game creation program focused on codeless, cross-platform game making. By snapping blocks of code together, students can create games that can be published and played on a variety of platforms including mobile phones.
6. CODECADEMY
Codecademy is a web-based, self-paced site that teaches actual industry-standard languages like PHP, Javascript, Python, Ruby, HTML, and CSS. While students don’t create publishable games like they would in Stencyl, their learning is purpose-driven and contextualized, e.g. JavaScript for web development or Ruby for app development. And students do get to see their code’s output directly onscreen.
Lisa Smith
• a few seconds ago
Hello, my name is Lisa Smith and I am a student at The University of South Alabama majoring in Elementary Education. I am currently taking a technology course called EDM 310 and my professor assigned me to read your blog this week.
From viewing your site I have learned that Minecraft has introduced a lot of youth to games as well as the critical thinking, problem solving, and creation skills necessary for self-motivated learning. I intent to reference your site at much as possible as a tool to further my education experience.
Blog Post #14
Blog Assignment
Post one picture for each day of the week. ( Monday-Friday)
You must tell about the photo and why you chose the photo.
Monday- Post one picture of a dog.
Tuesday- Post one picture of a bird.
Wednesday- Post one picture of a cat.
Thursday- Post one picture of a fish.
Friday- Post one picture of a famous dog, cat, or bird.
Monday
This is a photo of Simba. She is a pit bull dog that was hit by a car. My son Bentley raised money for her vet bills.
Tuesday
This is a photo of Aubie. My two son's Bentley and Jackson are holding him. We had Aubie for a good 5 months before we had to release him to a farm.
Wednesday
This is a photo Misty. Her owner moved to Singapore for 3 years and currently she is staying with a foster family.
Thursday
This photo is of my husband Robert. He is holding up his fish that he caught when we were camping at Lake Martin.
Friday
This photo is of Lukey Dukey. His owner is my cousin. Lukey Dukey is famous for his precious smile.
This is a photo of Simba. She is a pit bull dog that was hit by a car. My son Bentley raised money for her vet bills.
Tuesday
This is a photo of Aubie. My two son's Bentley and Jackson are holding him. We had Aubie for a good 5 months before we had to release him to a farm.
Wednesday
This is a photo Misty. Her owner moved to Singapore for 3 years and currently she is staying with a foster family.
Thursday
This photo is of my husband Robert. He is holding up his fish that he caught when we were camping at Lake Martin.
Friday
This photo is of Lukey Dukey. His owner is my cousin. Lukey Dukey is famous for his precious smile.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Blog Post #13
What can we learn from these TED talks?
5. Kakenya Ntaiya: A girl who demanded school
By: Briann Smith, Heather Smith, Lisa Smith, Amanda Weller
Kakenya Ntaiya is from a group of people in Kenya called the Maasais. They are warriors. They are fierce. Most of all, they are set in their traditional ways of inequality between men and women. Kakenya Ntaiya’s village believed in arranged marriages, so as a child she knew that when she turned 12 she was to be married- he was already chosen. If she went to high school, though, she could postpone this marriage. She decided to make a deal with her father: She underwent the traditional Maasai rite of passage of a very brutal and unsanitary female circumcision in return for being allowed to go to high school. While she was in school she met a man that had graduated from college. She remembered admiring him.
Also during high school, her father had a stroke and become very ill. The custom of her village was that any man of the village was her father by default. She had received a scholarship for college, but without the support of her village she would be unable to get to America. After persistence and courage- Kakenya Ntaiya received support from her whole village to get an education, something that was unheard of, but only with the promise to come back and help with anything the village wanted.
She speaks of her anger and frustration when she came to America and found out that the ceremony she went through when she was 13 was called female genital mutilation and was against the law in Kenya. She found out that she did not have to trade her body to get an education, she had rights- 3 million girls who are at risk of going through this mutilation right now have rights! She found out that her mom had a right to own property and did not have to be abused because she is a woman. She found out that girls did not have to forced to marry unwillingly. She found out that she had to DO something! She had to HELP these girls.
When she went back she decided to build a school for girls. She built a place for girls to be safe and protected from the brutal acts against them for the simple fact that they were born female. She has currently saved 125 girls from marriage when they are 12 years old. She has given 125 girls opportunities to rise and achieve their dreams. She has given 125 girls the advantage of not being beaten. She has started a REVOLUTION.
Kakenya Ntaiya ends her speech challenging the audience. She challenged us to make a DIFFERENCE, to make tomorrow BETTER, to be a LEADER! She challenged us to CHANGE our world, CHANGE our community, CHANGE our country! If she does that and we do that- we will create a BETTER FUTURE for our CHILDREN, for your CHILDREN, for our GRANDCHILDREN!
Kakenya Ntaiya is the image of grace and bravery. She is a truly outstanding woman. She could have moved to America and never went back, but she didn’t- she went back to Kenya and helped others. She faced numerous obstacles along the way but she stayed strong and never lost her vision. Her remarkable accomplishments will be forever gratified by the women she has so graciously helped. She has taught us so much about honor and courage, about self-discipline and drive, and most of all- about compassion and benevolence.
7. Shukla Bose: Teaching one child at a time
By: Briann Smith, Heather Smith, Amanda Weller, and Lisa Smith
In Shukla Bose’s Ted Talk Ted Talk, she tells the awe inspiring story on how she created her foundation, Parikrma Humanity Foundation, which brings promise to the children in India’s slums by focusing on teaching each child as an individual. Shukla Bose did not start out in the field of philanthropy. She humbly says that she is not a trained academic or a veteran social worker. For twenty-six years, she worked in the corporate world, trying to make organizations profitable. In 2003, she started her foundation, Parikrma Humanity at her kitchen table. There in her kitchen, her journey began. The first thing that she did was walk through the slums of india and identify houses, where the children would never go to school. The number of children that did not go to school blew her away. Against peoples doubts, she decided then that they were not going to go by the numbers. They instead would focus on the children individually and take them through school and prepare them for a better life. The first Parikrma School was started in a slum, where 70,000 people where living below the poverty line. More schools soon followed, including a junior college. In Shukla Bose’s presentation, she included clips of some of her students eloquently talking about their favorite subjects in school. The parents even started to participate in their child’s education and some them were inspired to learn themselves, all because of their child’s achievement. The Parikrma school not only became a safe haven for the children, but it also helped the community and the parents of the students. Many of the non teaching staff members at the school are the parents and relatives of the children. The schools are all English medium schools and they use the ICSE curriculum. They have professors from Berkeley, the Indian Institute of Science and other prestigious schools, who come and teach the students. Art and music are considered as therapy and a way of expression for the students. They believe that content is more important than the infrastructure of the school, the important thing is what is happening in the school. She believes that creating an environment of learning, inquiry, and exploration is what is “true” education. Shukla Bose says that her life has been transformed and forever changed by the children. She says that she has learned so much from them, especially love, compassion, and imagination and creativity. Shukla Bose’s story was so inspiring! It was amazing to see how one school changed a whole community and gave the children groundbreaking opportunities. It was incredible to see the children speaking so eloquently and saying how much they loved school and enjoyed learning. As future teachers, we can learn from her story and remember that it’s not always about the number, but it’s about the individual student and their abilities. The other valuable lesson learned, is to always believe in your students and yourself, even when people doubt your ability!
8. Shane Koyczan: To This Day.. for the bullied and beautiful
By: Briann Smith, Heather Smith, Lisa Smith, Amanda Weller
Youtube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa1iS1MqUy4
Embedded code:
In this video, Shane Koyczan gives a poem of what it’s like to be bullied. Shane first started off by publicizing that children are expected to find themselves starting at a young age, and if they don't other children would do so. For instance, he stated how name calling would occur. Names such as slut, fatty, fag, and so on. While children are being told these names mean what they do, they are also asked what do they want to be. Koyczan goes on to say that when he was a kid he wanted to be a marine biologist, until he watched the movie Jaws. He also went along by saying that he wanted to be an adult and began to shave. At the age of 10, Shane was told that his parents left because they didn't want him. However, when he was 11 Shane wanted to be left alone. At 12 he wanted to die and when he reached 13 he wanted to kill a kid. By that time, Shane was asked to pick a career. He choose to be a professional writer.
Not only was Koyczan made fun of, his dreams were as well. He actually recalls a few of his dreams in his video. He remembers his first line of poetry was in response to a world that demanded he hate himself. Through ages 15 and 18 Shane hated himself and the world that he lived in. Shane mentioned that standing up for yourself should not lead to violence. back when Shane was younger he would trade in homework assignments for friendship. Its so sad to see the cruel world that we live in. Now, with technology it is so easy to sit behind a computer and for children to cyber bully other children.
Furthermore, he describes how when he was younger he thought that pork chops and karate chops were the same thing. Shane's grandmother thought it was sweet so she didn't correct him. He states in his video how he fell from a tree one day while he was playing outside. Apparently Shane knew that he wasn't supposed to be outside playing. The gym teacher found the bruises on his right side and turned him into the principle. His response to the questions about his home life was “When I’m sad, my grandma gives me karate chops!” If only he knew this would lead into a full investigation and would be removed from his home for three days. News got around the school and he got deemed the nickname, “porkchop”.
In the meantime, the rest of Shane's video is of a wonderful poem with illustrations and a violin in the backdrop covering bullying. Shane's poem is incredible, as well as his other work. The emotion and descriptions used in his demonstrations is very engaging and inspiring!
10. Salman Khan: Let’s use video to reinvent education
By: Briann Smith, Heather Smith, Lisa Smith, Amanda Weller
Salman Khan talks about how and why he created the remarkable Khan Academy, a carefully structured series of educational videos offering complete curricula in math and, now, other subjects. He shows the power of interactive exercises, and calls for teachers to consider flipping the traditional classroom script -- give students video lectures to watch at home, and do "homework" in the classroom with the teacher available to help.
Using video to reinvent education is a convenient way to learn on your own time. Everyone is for convenience so we believe this will be a great tool to use. Using video to upload educational information not only helps the class that you are teaching but it will also benefit others that may come in contact with the information. Having educational videos available will also give the students resources to fall back on if they need additional help. This would also be great if students want to get read ahead in their lessons.
Flipping the classroom with doing homework in class and saving the lectures for students to watch at home sounds like an amazing idea. Having homework as in class work will show the teacher what homework problems that students may be having a hard time with. If problems arise the student can then stop and watch a video on the homework problem and the video actually teaches the correct way to work problem. The student can practice and get 10 problems correct and then move on to the next question.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
C4K#10
Meghan's Blog
My blog for the week of awesome-fun-best week of school
Categories: BlogOctober 18, 2013 @ 10:54 AM 2 COMMENTS
Monday-We started switching for math,and we had a sub teacher, her name is Mrs.Miller.In class we went on a road trip.I learned about the Grand Caynon,and the Hover Dam.
Tuesday-We read Out Of My Mind in read aloud.My class had Music for specials.We continued the road trip.
Wednesday-We joined the OOMM group on Edmodo.We had P.E. for specials.Found out why there is a fish on the cover of Out Of My Mind.
Thursday-We had a early out at 1:00.Instead of specials we had another recces.I took the States Test.
Friday-We are going to have two specials.I weaved with my book buddy, her name is Bella.Right now I am typing on kid blog,and I can’t see in to the future so bye.
Meghan:)
Living on a farm
LIVING ON A FARM:
Once upon a time there lived a lovely family on a wonderful caring farm. They lived in a weird looking house but they had a great time together living on a farm with cool animal’s. In this family was Jasmine the older sister, Kylie the youngest sister, Desirea the cousin, John the uncle, James the dad and Rachel the mum. This family was so lucky to live on a farm with wonderful pet’s and animal’s.
Jasmine was so keen to go school and meet new friends and get to know everyone, but she was too shy. Kylie was a normal kid she got to meet her cousin’s every weekend, because they lived on a farm as well. Rachel and James the parent’s they were so tired waking up early in the morning milking the cow’s looking after all the animals, they just didn’t get time to have a break. Uncle John spent time with his daughter and Kylie every weekend and go work every week-nights.
Kylie’s mum and dad went out for dinner with uncle John and the kids stayed home alone with the animals. Mum told the girls to put the horse’s back into the garage but they had forgotten to do it. They were fast asleep but they forgot to put the horse’s back into the garage so the horse’s got stolen and they didn’t notice until mum and dad came back. Rachel and James was so angry but they couldn’t blame it on the kids they knew they should of done it before they left.
So they went out looking for the horse’s they asked everyone if they'd seen these horse’’s but they all said “NO”. Kylie remembered that it was just one horse that ran away and it went in a red truck. Dad said “ did you see who grabbed her she said “yeah it was a man”, “would it be your uncle” dad said. “Know he was with you guise” dad said “oh I forgot”. “I think I know” Jasmine said,” If it’s a man then it might be a new person because this had never happened to us before”. So kylie and that went out look for him but then they saw the horse in the same truck they told mum and dad and they caught the man it was their grandfather.
So they had a little talk together and found out why he did it. Mum and dad decided to let granddad stay for the holidays and the kids could spend time with him because they didn’t get the time to learn more about him. Jasmine and Kylie was so pleased with their parents. Jasmine didn’t get what she wanted but she did get to learn more about her granddad same to Kylie.
And they lived happily ever after.
THE END:
Posted by Lizara at 10:36
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Labels: Living on a farm:, term 4, writing 2013
1 comment:
Lisa Smith said...
Lizara,
Hello my name is Lisa Smith and I a student in EDM 310 at The University of South Alabama majoring in elementary education. My Professor assigned me to read your blog this week and leave you a comment about your post. I also have a blog so if you ever want to see what we are doing in my class feel free to check my blog out. http://smithlisaedm310.blogspot.com/
I really enjoyed reading your story about living on the farm. It must be nice to live around family. I am sorry that you forgot to put the horses up and that they escaped. I was glad to read that your Grandpa had pick one of the horses up and that it gave you and your family a chance to reconnect with your Grandpa.
I hope that you continue writing in your blog because it was very enjoyable to read. Have a good week.
Sincerely,
Lisa Smith
Mobile, Alabama USA
The University of South Alabama
Elementary Education Major Student
25 October 2013 10:01
Breaking the Rules of Boarding School, Classrooms, and Blog Posts
23OCT
I have never been one for following the rules. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not some wild graffiti artist, teenage rebel, doing whatever I want (though I am a fan of Banksy). I go to an all girls boarding school in rural southern Virginia and sometimes ‘breaking the rules’ is simply not agreeing to go with the status quo and fighting for a little more. Now, a little background, at our school if you take World History II you are not allowed to take AP European History because they are too similar. And that is exactly how I ended up taking this online government class. In my junior year I took APUS history and at the end of the year I met with our academic adviser to discuss my senior year class, more specifically, what history class I would be taking. And because I had already taken World History II everyone had been telling me that I would never be able to weasel my way into a spot in AP European History. Well, being me, I was hearing none of it. So, I went into my meeting with our academic dean BOUND and DETERMINED to be placed into a AP European History. I put up a fight until this poor academic dean through her hands up in the air and told me I could do whatever I wanted, but consider looking at something no one at my school had ever done; taking AP Government online. Well that’s just about as far from the norm as I could get so I dropped my case for AP Euro and registered that day for AP Government with Online School for Girls.
The reason I lead with this story is because I think my reasoning for picking this class reflects how unconventional this class is. I had never experienced online classes besides a summer geometry course (and I am here to tell you Geometry online is NOT a good idea) before Online School for Girls, but this course has showed me how online learning can be amazing! I have found that while online courses are by no means a normal classroom setting they allow for a new modern kind of class. I am learning to work with girls across the county; which is the kind of skill my mom always says she wished she had learned young because her work involves people all over the world. Learning to manage my time was a struggle at first because I did not have a teacher to face every day, but Online School for Girls keeps us in close contact with our teachers and I have learned to reach out when I need to like I would for a regular teacher. This is a skill I know I will carry with me through all my higher education when I am in classes with 300 people and need to be contacting my professor. There are many other lessons I will learn on the way to the AP test in May, but there is one thing I know I will always be able to take away from this online class; breaking the rules is sometimes the best thing you can do. Whether it is challenging the system at your school or destroying the idea of a “normal” classroom or writing a blog post dedicated to the idea that breaking the rules can be a good thing; the status quo is just WAITING for some powerful, young women to break it.
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1 Comment
Posted by maimazan on October 23, 2013 in Default
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Lisa Smith
November 1, 2013 at 9:10 pm
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
My name is Lisa Smith and I am a student at The University of South Alabama majoring in elementary education. I am currently take a course in technology and it is called EDM310. I have been assigned to read your blog this week and to leave a comment. I really enjoyed reading your blog post and found it very refreshing. You seem like a fighter and a person that is willing to go above and beyond to reach your goals. I hope that this attitude sticks with you throughout your life. Reach for the stars and sore! Have a great week. Lisa Smith
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2013
Big shells and little shells.
I found some big beautiful shells to put on my sandcastle. ( Dictated to the teacher)
By Teana-Lee
POSTED BY KHISMIRA AT 8:00 AM
LABELS: RM 5, TEANA-LEE
1 COMMENT:
AnonymousNovember 13, 2013 at 12:08 PM
Hello, my name is Lisa Smith and I am a student at The University of South Alabama majoring in elementary education. I am currently taking a technology course (edm310) and my professor has assigned me to read your blog this week. I love your sea shells. They are beautiful and will look amazing on your sand castle. Have an amazing week.
Lisa Smith
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Blog Post #12
Changing Education Paradigms
By: Amanda Weller, Briann Smith, Heather Smith, and Lisa Smith
Video:
In the video, Changing Education Paradigms Ken Robinson says that, “Every country on earth, at the moment, is reforming public education.” The first of many reasons is economics. People are attempting to work out the struggling question because we can't determine what the economy will look like in a few days. They're wondering how to educate their children to take place in the economics of the 21st century.
Picture: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tedxvienna.at%2Fblog%2Fken-robinson-how-to-escape-educations-death-valley%2F&h=0&w=0&sz=1&tbnid=P8sMWhoaNpYeHM&tbnh=183&tbnw=275&zoom=1&docid=SIGcw6dp8OCCyM&hl=en&ei=uQ98UuDVB-GzsASx9oG4DQ&ved=0CAIQsCU
The second reason has to deal with cultural identity. Ken Robinson challenges the way children are being educated in his video. He talks about the way that we're educating our children. The system of education currently going on was designed for a different age. Mr. Robinson talks about how children are brought into ADHD because they're getting distracted by "boring stuff." He talks about how children are being medicated when teachers should be waking them up. Ken doesn't believe that students should be medicated. He believes that we should be changing education and doing away with standardized testing. Ken mentioned that standardized testing was designed for a different age. Children think differently than they did years ago. So many things have changed, but not education. The school system should constantly create creativity and acknowledge all kinds of learning.
The Importance of Creativity
By: Briann Smith, Amanda Weller, Heather Smith, and Lisa Smith
https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQC5oZ6jRUhFlUOfm3DqpjmbsKYB3FCTYdRSOJu5nSumAo8dUnb
video-
Link-http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
In Ken Robinson's TED Talk, he gives an entertaining and inspirational speech on creating an education system that nurtures creativity instead of undermining the power of it. He begins his speech by describing the three themes that were running through the conference which are the extraordinary evidence of human creativity and the variety and range of it and how it has put us in a place where we do not know what’s going to happen in the future. The third theme was that children have extraordinary capacities especially for innovation. He says that he has interest in education and that he believes that everyone else does as well. Robinson says, this is partly because education is meant to take us into the unforeseen future. He says that all children have talent and that adults squander them. Robinson believes that now creativity is just as important as literacy is and that it should be treated with the same status. Through several funny stories involving children, he explains that children naturally take chances on things. They are not fearful of being wrong and they just go for it. He then explains that as adults most children lose this fearlessness and they become frightened of being wrong. Robinson then told the story of the conversation he had with Gillian Lynne, the choreographer of “Cats”. When she was a student in the 1930s, her teacher believed that she had a learning disorder because she kept fidgeting in class. Her mother to her to a specialist and instead of putting her on medication. The doctor saw that she was destined to be a dancer and defining moment put her on the path of dance. Robinson believes that the only hope for the future is to adopt a new conception of human ecology,one in which we start to reconstitute our conception of the richness of human capacity. He says that our education system has mined our minds our minds in the way that we strip-mine the earth for a commodity. Robinson explains that this will not serve us and we have to rethink the fundamental principles on which we are educating our children. He ends his speech by saying that we have to appreciate our creative capabilities for the richness they are and see our children for the hope they are. Robinson says that our task is to educate their whole being so that they will be prepared for the future. As future educators, it will be our job to teach children and prepare them for the world. As we learned from Ken Robinson, it is important that we cultivate our students imagination and creativity in the classroom and encourage them to go for their dreams and goals no matter what. The children are our future and it is our job to prepare them and make sure that they are ready for it academically as well as creatively!
Bring on the Education Revolution- Ted Talk
Collaboratively By- Briann Smith, Heather Smith, Lisa Smith, Amanda Weller
By: Sir Ken Robinson
Sir Ken Robinson ends this video with a poem by W.B. Yeats and it was so touching that we felt compelled to share it first in this blog post. Robinson referred to “Children spread their dreams under our feet and we should tread softly.” Our group found this quote to be one that we remember when we start our own classrooms. Please see the following poem titled He Wishes For Cloths Of Heaven.
Poem by W B Yeats
He Wishes For The Cloths Of Heaven
HAD I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
William Butler Yeats
Sir Ken Robinson begins his speech talking about how human resources are depleting stating that we make very poor use of our talents. He references two types of people, the ones who divide the world into two groups and those who do not. He adds that many people endure their jobs/profession rather than enjoying it.
Education dislocates many people from their own personal talents. We must personalize education to fit our individual students so that personal dreams can still be accomplished. Our classrooms will be full of a diversity of talent and it is up to us as teachers to put each and every talent our students bring to the table to good use. They must flourish in order to succeed.
Robinson talks about how the education system is geared more towards conformity, like a fast food or manufacturing company. We must ask the question, does this feed the spirit, and if the answer is no, we should look for a better option. We must move from the manufacturing industrial way to the agricultural way. The agricultural way has human flourishing and ways of creating conditions under which the students will flourish.
Ken Robinson: How to escape education's death valley:
By: Heather Smith, Amanda Weller, Briann Smith, and Lisa Smith
Mr. Robinson talks about the irony of “No Child Left Behind”. He said that this initiative actually leaves millions of children behind, how ironic is this? In some parts of the country, 60 percent of kids drop out of high school, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. What it doesn't count are all the kids who are in school but being disengaged from it, who don't enjoy it, who don't get any real benefit from it. And the reason is not that we're not spending enough money. America spends more money on education than most other countries, class sizes are smaller than in many countries, and there are hundreds of initiatives every year to try and improve education. The trouble is, it's all going in the wrong direction.
There are three principles on which human life flourishes, and they are contradicted by the culture of education under which most teachers have to labor and most students have to endure.
1. Human beings are naturally different and diverse:
Education under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is not based on diversity, it’s based on conformity. One of the effects of NCLB has been to narrow the focus onto the so-called STEM disciplines- such as Math and Science. Mr. Robinson was not saying that they are not important, just that “they are necessary but they’re not sufficient”. He believes a real education has to give equal access to the arts, humanities, and physical education. Mr. Robinson taught me that children prosper best with a broad curriculum that celebrates their various talents, not just a small range of talents. Take the arts, for instance, this is not just important because it improves children’s math scores, but it is important because it speaks to parts of children’s being that are otherwise untouched.
2. Curiosity:
If you can light a spark of curiosity in a child, they will learn without any further assistance. Children are natural learners, and curiosity is the engine of achievement. Mr. Robinson said that one of the effects of the current American culture has been to de-professionalize teachers. He said there is no system in the world or any school in the country that is better than its teachers. Can I get an AMEN? (Sorry- I HAD to add that!) Teachers are the lifeblood of the SUCCESS of schools. But teaching is a creative profession. It’s not a delivery system- you’re not there just to pass on received information. Great teachers not only deliver information, but they also mentor, stimulate, provoke, and engage students. At the end of the day, education is about LEARNING! If there’s no learning, there’s no education! And what, might you ask, is the role of a teacher? To FACILITATE LEARNING!!! Mr. Robinson also taught me that part of the problem is the dominant culture of education has come to focus on not teaching and learning, but testing. Testing is important, as he stated, but there is a place and time for everything. Standardized tests should not be the dominant culture of education. They should help, they should be diagnostic, and they should SUPPORT learning- they should NOT OBSTRUCT IT!!!
3. Human life is inherently creative:
We create our lives through this restless process of imagining alternatives and possibilities, and what one of the roles of education is to awaken and develop these powers of creativity. Mr. Robinson has taught me that instead of developing creativity, instead we have a culture of standardization. It doesn’t have to be this way, though. He used the example of Finland and how well the students do in math, science, and reading. He said the reason that Finland’s system works is simple: they do NOT obsess about “those” disciplines (math, science, reading)- they have a broad approach to education.
Mr. Robinson also taught me that all high-performing systems in the world currently do what is apparently inevident to the systems in America- they:
1. Individualize teaching and learning. They recognize that it’s students who are learning and the system has to engage them, their curiosity, their individuality, and their creativity.
2. Attribute a very high status to the teaching profession. They recognize that you can’t improve education if you don’t pick great people to teach and if you don’t keep giving them constant support and professional development. Investing in professional development is not a COST, it’s an INVESTMENT!
3. Devolve responsibility to the school level for getting the job done. Mr. Robinson said there is a big difference between going into a mode of command and control in education- this was probably the most influential part to me because if you think about it: it is teachers and students in a classroom, not a committee of legislature, it should be the teachers discretion to make the environment enriching and plausible!
The point Mr. Robinson was trying to make is very clear: education is not a mechanical system. It’s a human system. IT’S ABOUT PEOPLE!!! People who do or do not want to learn. Is school boring? Is it irrelevant? Is it at odds with someone’s life outside of school? These are the reasons for drop-outs. These are the trends of America. There are conditions under which people thrive, and conditions under which they don’t. It’s that PLAIN and SIMPLE! He said that we are all organic creatures and the culture of the school is absolutely essential. Right beneath the surface are these seeds of possibility, waiting for the right conditions to come about, and with organic systems, if the conditions are right, life is inevitable. It happens all the time. You take an area, a school, a district, and change the conditions, give people a different sense of possibility, a different set of expectations, a broader range of opportunities, you cherish and value the relationships between teachers and learners, you offer people the discretion to be creative and to innovate what they do- and schools that were once bereft spring to LIFE.
According to Robinson, Great leaders know this! The real role of leadership in education- on the national, state, and school levels- is not and should not COMMAND and CONTROL. The real role of leadership in education is CLIMATE CONTROL, creating a climate of POSSIBILITY! And if you do that, people will rise to it and achieve things that you completely did not anticipate and couldn’t have expected.
Mr. Robinson ended with a magnificent quote from Benjamin Franklin:
“There are three sorts of people in this world: those who are immovable, those who are moveable, and those who move.”
What does this mean? There are those who just don’t get it or don’t want to, those who see the need for change and are prepared to listen, and those who make things happen. If you encourage more people- that would be a MOVEMENT. If the movement is strong enough- that’s, in the best sense of the word, a REVOLUTION. And that’s what we NEED!
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Blog Post #11
Interview with Kathy Cassidy
Ms. Cassidy's First Grade Class
Ms. Cassidy has so many ideas that I would love to take into my future classroom. She has many technological approaches that are used in her personal classroom. One of her techniques that I plan to use is the use of personal class blogs. Most schools now have a computer lab and this is where I plan to use our class blogging time. First, at the beginning of the year I must get approval from my principal for the use of personal blogs in the classroom. I must next get a school approved letter sent home going over the use of blogs in the classroom and any safety issues that the parent might night to know and be able to go over the issues with their child even before school begins. I must teach my students the importance of not revealing their identity on their blogs and to refrain from using their last name and uploading personal portraits of themselves. I must also left the students know that some of the sites on the computer are not safe for them and that they are only to look at approved by me sites. There will be consequences listed for my students if this trust is broken. Once the student/teacher has the all approval the class blog will be created and students names will be added for their personal blog creation.
I plan to use blogging during Language Arts. I will give the student a topic and they will use their creative writing skills and blog away. I plan to use blog during the once a week computer visits. I hope that my students grab onto blogging and might even want to blog at home.
Ms. Cassidy has so many ideas that I would love to take into my future classroom. She has many technological approaches that are used in her personal classroom. One of her techniques that I plan to use is the use of personal class blogs. Most schools now have a computer lab and this is where I plan to use our class blogging time. First, at the beginning of the year I must get approval from my principal for the use of personal blogs in the classroom. I must next get a school approved letter sent home going over the use of blogs in the classroom and any safety issues that the parent might night to know and be able to go over the issues with their child even before school begins. I must teach my students the importance of not revealing their identity on their blogs and to refrain from using their last name and uploading personal portraits of themselves. I must also left the students know that some of the sites on the computer are not safe for them and that they are only to look at approved by me sites. There will be consequences listed for my students if this trust is broken. Once the student/teacher has the all approval the class blog will be created and students names will be added for their personal blog creation.
I plan to use blogging during Language Arts. I will give the student a topic and they will use their creative writing skills and blog away. I plan to use blog during the once a week computer visits. I hope that my students grab onto blogging and might even want to blog at home.
Friday, November 1, 2013
C4K#8
Meghan's Blog
My blog for the week of awesome-fun-best week of school
Categories: BlogOctober 18, 2013 @ 10:54 AM 2 COMMENTS
Monday-We started switching for math,and we had a sub teacher, her name is Mrs.Miller.In class we went on a road trip.I learned about the Grand Caynon,and the Hover Dam.
Tuesday-We read Out Of My Mind in read aloud.My class had Music for specials.We continued the road trip.
Wednesday-We joined the OOMM group on Edmodo.We had P.E. for specials.Found out why there is a fish on the cover of Out Of My Mind.
Thursday-We had a early out at 1:00.Instead of specials we had another recces.I took the States Test.
Friday-We are going to have two specials.I weaved with my book buddy, her name is Bella.Right now I am typing on kid blog,and I can’t see in to the future so bye.
Meghan:)
Living on a farm
LIVING ON A FARM:
Once upon a time there lived a lovely family on a wonderful caring farm. They lived in a weird looking house but they had a great time together living on a farm with cool animal’s. In this family was Jasmine the older sister, Kylie the youngest sister, Desirea the cousin, John the uncle, James the dad and Rachel the mum. This family was so lucky to live on a farm with wonderful pet’s and animal’s.
Jasmine was so keen to go school and meet new friends and get to know everyone, but she was too shy. Kylie was a normal kid she got to meet her cousin’s every weekend, because they lived on a farm as well. Rachel and James the parent’s they were so tired waking up early in the morning milking the cow’s looking after all the animals, they just didn’t get time to have a break. Uncle John spent time with his daughter and Kylie every weekend and go work every week-nights.
Kylie’s mum and dad went out for dinner with uncle John and the kids stayed home alone with the animals. Mum told the girls to put the horse’s back into the garage but they had forgotten to do it. They were fast asleep but they forgot to put the horse’s back into the garage so the horse’s got stolen and they didn’t notice until mum and dad came back. Rachel and James was so angry but they couldn’t blame it on the kids they knew they should of done it before they left.
So they went out looking for the horse’s they asked everyone if they'd seen these horse’’s but they all said “NO”. Kylie remembered that it was just one horse that ran away and it went in a red truck. Dad said “ did you see who grabbed her she said “yeah it was a man”, “would it be your uncle” dad said. “Know he was with you guise” dad said “oh I forgot”. “I think I know” Jasmine said,” If it’s a man then it might be a new person because this had never happened to us before”. So kylie and that went out look for him but then they saw the horse in the same truck they told mum and dad and they caught the man it was their grandfather.
So they had a little talk together and found out why he did it. Mum and dad decided to let granddad stay for the holidays and the kids could spend time with him because they didn’t get the time to learn more about him. Jasmine and Kylie was so pleased with their parents. Jasmine didn’t get what she wanted but she did get to learn more about her granddad same to Kylie.
And they lived happily ever after.
THE END:
Lisa Smith said...
Lizara,
Hello my name is Lisa Smith and I a student in EDM 310 at The University of South Alabama majoring in elementary education. My Professor assigned me to read your blog this week and leave you a comment about your post. I also have a blog so if you ever want to see what we are doing in my class feel free to check my blog out. http://smithlisaedm310.blogspot.com/
I really enjoyed reading your story about living on the farm. It must be nice to live around family. I am sorry that you forgot to put the horses up and that they escaped. I was glad to read that your Grandpa had pick one of the horses up and that it gave you and your family a chance to reconnect with your Grandpa.
I hope that you continue writing in your blog because it was very enjoyable to read. Have a good week.
Sincerely,
Lisa Smith
Mobile, Alabama USA
The University of South Alabama
Elementary Education Major Student
25 October 2013 10:01
Breaking the Rules of Boarding School, Classrooms, and Blog Posts
I have never been one for following the rules. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not some wild graffiti artist, teenage rebel, doing whatever I want (though I am a fan of Banksy). I go to an all girls boarding school in rural southern Virginia and sometimes ‘breaking the rules’ is simply not agreeing to go with the status quo and fighting for a little more. Now, a little background, at our school if you take World History II you are not allowed to take AP European History because they are too similar. And that is exactly how I ended up taking this online government class. In my junior year I took APUS history and at the end of the year I met with our academic adviser to discuss my senior year class, more specifically, what history class I would be taking. And because I had already taken World History II everyone had been telling me that I would never be able to weasel my way into a spot in AP European History. Well, being me, I was hearing none of it. So, I went into my meeting with our academic dean BOUND and DETERMINED to be placed into a AP European History. I put up a fight until this poor academic dean through her hands up in the air and told me I could do whatever I wanted, but consider looking at something no one at my school had ever done; taking AP Government online. Well that’s just about as far from the norm as I could get so I dropped my case for AP Euro and registered that day for AP Government with Online School for Girls.The reason I lead with this story is because I think my reasoning for picking this class reflects how unconventional this class is. I had never experienced online classes besides a summer geometry course (and I am here to tell you Geometry online is NOT a good idea) before Online School for Girls, but this course has showed me how online learning can be amazing! I have found that while online courses are by no means a normal classroom setting they allow for a new modern kind of class. I am learning to work with girls across the county; which is the kind of skill my mom always says she wished she had learned young because her work involves people all over the world. Learning to manage my time was a struggle at first because I did not have a teacher to face every day, but Online School for Girls keeps us in close contact with our teachers and I have learned to reach out when I need to like I would for a regular teacher. This is a skill I know I will carry with me through all my higher education when I am in classes with 300 people and need to be contacting my professor. There are many other lessons I will learn on the way to the AP test in May, but there is one thing I know I will always be able to take away from this online class; breaking the rules is sometimes the best thing you can do. Whether it is challenging the system at your school or destroying the idea of a “normal” classroom or writing a blog post dedicated to the idea that breaking the rules can be a good thing; the status quo is just WAITING for some powerful, young women to break it. Posted by maimazan on October 23, 2013 in Default ← AP US Government or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the First Amendment No Justice for All: The Dangerous Lack of Standardization in Our Criminal System and the Man Whose Life Is on the Line Because of It → Lisa Smith November 1, 2013 at 9:10 pm Your comment is awaiting moderation. My name is Lisa Smith and I am a student at The University of South Alabama majoring in elementary education. I am currently take a course in technology and it is called EDM310. I have been assigned to read your blog this week and to leave a comment. I really enjoyed reading your blog post and found it very refreshing. You seem like a fighter and a person that is willing to go above and beyond to reach your goals. I hope that this attitude sticks with you throughout your life. Reach for the stars and sore! Have a great week. Lisa Smith
C4T#3
Marc Prensky and Stephen Heppell are collaborating about the role of the teacher in todays world. They talk about how the most important asset that a teacher can posses in the ever so changing technology world is Courage. Courage is feeling the fear and doing it anyway. The teacher today must also encourage their fellow teachers. They must also give the student the feeling of trust. A student that knows that his or her teacher believes in them will make for a successful student.
This blog has not been responded to in three years. I left my comment but it did not show up on the site.
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