Blog Post #5 Final Summary

Personal Learning Networks

When starting the semester, I really had no idea about what a personal learning network. After completing my assignments and projects that are required for this class I started to realize that my PLN was growing. Throughout the past few months there were many things that helped me gather people for my personal learning network, one in particular was the C4Ts and C4Ks that we were instructed to complete each week. I also added to my PLN by the classmates in my class. The reason I have learned from my classmates is because I learned how to give constructive criticism. The main resource that has helped me the most is the class blog. It has given me many different resources to add to my PLN. My PLN will grow every year and this will be a great tool to use to help me in the future. 

C4T #4

C4T #4-1 J F Hadley     
Mrs. Hadley's post was about how she allowed students to make superpowers for the new school year that they would like to conquer throughout the year. I commented on her post and told her that I really enjoyed her post and was truly inspired and that I can't wait to use her idea when I start teaching.

C4T #4-2
Mrs. Hadley's post was about brains working. She talked about how she allows her student four minutes to think and would not allow them to take notes on it. Then she had them make a project about what they thought about. I commented and told her that I really appreciated and thought it was a great idea to allow her students to think for a few minutes and not allow them to take notes. I told her that I will definitely remember this concept and apply it in my classroom.

Blog Assignment #14

     After reading Teaching Can Be a Profession by Joel Klein for this week's blog post assignment, I realized that a lot that was said is some of the exact thoughts that I have about teaching and some of his thoughts are the complete opposite than his.

The problems that he talked about throughout the article were:

• Pick from the best 
• Seniority Distraction 
• Radical Change 

Klein's solutions to these problems are:

• better training for prospective teachers  in reading and math
• recruit teachers that our head of their class
• change how we reward teachers 

   I do not agree with Joel Klein about needing to better the training for incoming teachers in reading in math. The reason why I do not agree is because it should be the older teachers that need to have better training to get them up to date with the latest technology and teaching skills. I believe that the incoming teachers are highly trained because they are the ones being educated with the latest teaching skills.

    The recruiting better teachers by picking the ones that are head of their class is very reasonable solution. I highly agree with this because the students should get the very best education. This is great because the teachers that worked the hardest to become great teachers should be rewarded with the job.

  I highly agree with Mr. Klein on changing how we reward teachers because I believe that teachers should be rewarded for what they are doing and I believe that if teachers that are great at their job get rewarded more it would help make other teachers want to try harder and be better teachers themselves to be rewarded also.

Furthermore, Mr. Klein's views should most definitely be applied in the school systems. I believe that if the school systems would apply what he has said to the way that they pick their teachers, the school systems would be a much better place. This was a great article!

 

C4K Summary for November

C4K #8 - Nieka
Nieka's post was about similes and metaphors. In her post, she gave the definitions of a simile and a metaphor. She also gave examples of a simile and a metaphor by posting a simile and a metaphor that she created. I commented on her post and told her that she did a great job on her post. I also told her that I loved that she gave examples from her own work to help others understand what similes and metaphors are.

C4K #9- Carson
Carson's post was about an art project and how he believed that in one hundred years we will all live on  the sun and have to wear metal suits. I commented on Carson's post and told him that he did a great job and to keep up the good work. I also told him to always remember that "i" should be capitalized.

C4K #10- none- Veteran's Day
 

C4K #11- Grace
Grace's post was about the end of first quarter in school. She talked about how fast the quarter flew by and how they learned some new words that were expanding her writing ability. I commented on Grace's post and told her that it is great how she is wanting to expand her vocabulary and how that is something that she will do throughout her whole life. I also told her to keep up the good work!

Blog Assignment #13

What Did I Leave Out? 

How Can Technology Aid in the Improvement of  Language Arts/English Classes?  

 Make a list of different ways that you think that technology can help in an English/Language Arts Classroom and be sure to give a description.

  When doing research about using technology in an English/Language Arts classroom I came across a lot of good websites and apps that can help students not only in school but also when they are at home. There are plenty of more ways that technology can be used in the English/Language Arts classroom but what I found is only a few.

1. Edublogs- This is great to allow students to use technology and incorporate writing and creativity.
2. Studysync- This is a digital library that also allows writing practice.
3. Wordle- This is a great website that creates word clouds.
4. Mentor Mob- This website allows teachers or students to put different reliable sources to use for
specific projects.
5. Poppet- This is a great website to use for brainstorming.
6. iTooch Elementary- This is a free app that can be downloaded and allows students to practice different language arts skills in a fun interactive way.
7.  Come Learn Spellings- This is an app that can be downloaded and it helps students learn how to spell with the use of flash cards.
8. Solaro- This is an app that is used as an online study guide that covers language arts.
9. easyLearn English Grammar- This is a free app that will quiz students on the 8 parts of speech.
10. English Vocabulary Test-  This app allows the practice of vocabulary words.

Project #12 SMARTboard Instruction Part B

Our lesson plan was done by Jessica Harris and Lauren Lee.



lesson plan

Blog Assignment #12

What assistive technologies are available to you as a teacher?

C4T #3

C4T #3-1 Jerrid W. Kruse 
Mr. Kruse's post was about how he takes his students to a sixth grade science class every Friday and allows his students to interact with the sixth graders. Mr.Kruse will teach a lesson to the class and will even have his students teach a lesson also. I commented on his post and told him how great I thought it was that he did this every Friday because this is a great learning experience for his students. I also told him that it allows the students to truly understand how it is to deliver lessons to a class and lets them know what he is expecting from them.

C4T #3-2
Mr. Kruse's post was about how people have a perspective of new ideas being like a pendulum of old ideas. I commented and told him that I enjoyed his post and that I agree that people should broaden their perspectives. I also asked him what he thinks will help broaden ones' perspective.

Project #10 Interview Movie