Blog 3

A Vision of Students Today

I love the comparison between the student and the desk. No, those chairs can’t talk, but we can. Just after the words were shown they camera moved to the students sitting in those chairs. To me it looked so military-like. Why are we forced to sit still and listen? It’s funny that teachers tell us to put our cell phone up when in fact our phones probably provide us more street knowledge, the most important knowledge, than what the professor is writing on the board. I, along with most of my peers I assume, also feel like I’m reading only 18 percent of actually apply to my life.
I can’t agree more with the hours spent in a day. I don’t think I spend two hours eating or spend 150 minutes listening to music per day, but I do feel like I have to compile 28 hours worth of to-do’s in a 24 hour day. All college students, part or fulltime, have to be multi-taskers to stay sane. I’ve always hated Scantrons. What in the world will that do for me except get my numbering messed up and fail the test? No, the world is not my problem or my fault, but yet I have to live in it and one day solve these problems.

It’s Not about the Technology

I completely agree with Ms. Hines that technology is not the only or first thing to be taught in the classroom. I, as a twenty-year-old, am already overwhelmed. I can’t imagine bringing in blogs and twitter the first week of fourth grade! Also, yes, teachers have to be learners. There are so many new things coming and going in the technology world that can be used in the classroom, in the real world, and in the work place. As teachers, we have to stay ahead of the game; we have to be willing to learn! I loved the following quote and her point: “I don’t know why these kids don’t get it. I’ve taught it a hundred times.” In Dr. Clark’s class, I learned that there are two fallacies as a teacher. The first is that groups of students are mostly the same. The second is that the students should adjust to the teacher’s technique rather than the teacher adjusting to the students’ way to learning. There is a huge difference in teaching and learning!
She also says that technology is not very useful if we don’t teach it well enough. For example, I have always had a Google e-mail account but I never knew anything about Google Documents or the other neat gadgets it offers! If Dr. Strange had told us, “Go to your Google account and there will you find the checklist and comment checklist,” I would be completely frustrated! Even though this is a small example, it is important to make sure students being introduced to new things completely understand the purpose and its ability. I had no idea that the documents by Google existed and I have already introduced it to my dad who will frequently use it at work as an attorney.

Is It Okay To Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?

Once I saw the title of this post I immediately thought, “I sure hope it’s ok to be technology illiterate!” It is a little scary to go into this profession and know only to use the Smart Board! Obviously this class is helping in the field of technology. I once have used another program at a former college that will help in the classroom. Other than that experience, I have nothing! After this course I hope I will be considered to have a basic foundation of technological capabilities. This is because I agree with his statement that all educators should be at least somewhere literate.
“If a teacher today is not technologically literate - and is unwilling to make the effort to learn more - it's equivalent to a teacher 30 years ago who didn't know how to read and write.” All I have to say about this is, “Wow!” That completely hit home for me! It is insane to think that knowing how to use technology is becoming as useful as is it to be literate. The world is changing more and more everyday. As educators, and citizens, we have to keep up! We may one day be the reason why one of our students will not get the job versus someone who knows all about using technology. We are a direct result of how students do in the real world.

Project 2: Wordle

Blog 2

Did You Know?

How can something be so informing and also depressing! I've seen a video similar to this in a previous technology education class. However, this one hit a little harder! It is so scary to know that my students will probably be ahead of me as far as technology goes. We never want to think of ourselves as getting old and not "being in the know". Yet, already I'm not too familiar with an iPad and I still don't know all of the things I can do with a Smart Board.

Everything in this video is completely eye-opening. It's frightening to see the numbers and statistics that actually say, "Yes. Children in America are way behind in education." It is crazy to see the rate of memberships on things like in computer, the iPod, and Facebook. As teachers, we will really have to incorporate technology consistently. If we don't, one of our students may not get a full opportunity at an interview because their fifth grade teacher never told them about using ouch screen palms!

It will certainly be challenging to stay ahead of the game when it comes to bringing technology into the classroom.

The Importance of Creativity

It is very interesting that everyone has different creativity. Three people could all have an idea about how to demonstrate something in the front of the classroom, yet they could all be different. I love being creative; it makes me happy when I get to use colors and dot my “I” with a swirl! Somehow, life is a little less stressful when I am allowed to be creative. I love that Sir Ken Robinson said that creativity is just as important as literacy. That is so empowering! Children seem less afraid to use their creativity. “We don’t grow into creativity, we grow out of it.” He gave an example with a child drawing God and the teacher reminded the student that no one actually knows what God looks like. There is a prime illustration of adults closing their creativity brain.

I love the point he made about math being hammered into our brains but not dance. “Dance” could be anything. It could be gardening, skipping, or volleyball. It is interesting how we decide that “A” is more important than “B.” Who gets to determine that Betty Lou should know about the solar system, but not about storytelling? I agree when Sir Ken Robinson says that creativity is being taken out of school. For example, when I was a senior taking anatomy, the teacher was walking around the class. We were doing a lab that involved about ten sheets of computer paper with a title and picture. My brain was hurting and I got out my colored pencils and drew “anatomy pictures” around the edges of the paper. She saw mine and said, “No. Stop that. Just do the work. If you’re done you can turn it in.” Lastly, I love the accent and yes, a man can still be wrong when he talks with no one around.

Mr. Winkle Wakes!

I completely know what Mr. Winkle feels like: I too am completely lost after the first week of class. I can't imagine walking into a world without knowing absolutely anything! Even though I feel a little bit of that myself at USA, at least I know how to access a computer to ask all of my idiotic questions. My great grandmother is walking around just as Mr. Winkle is, only she hasn't been asleep for 100 years; she has for sure been live! Mimi, as we call her, will be 100 on August 29. She will die not ever touching a computer, talking on a cell phone, or anything else about the crazy world technology. The previous video said: "To whom did we address all of our questions B.G.?" Well, just ask Mimi. In fact, Mimi is outraged at the world we live in today! She would be furious knowing that I am in a course completely online. When she gives her opinion, it is obvious she was born in 1910.

The interesting thing about the Mr. Winkle Wakes video is that it doesn't take 100 years to not understand what is going on these days. If someone went into a coma in February and wakes up in a week, he/she will not understand why the Kindle is selling more. We all know, however, that it is because the iPad came out quickly after and it can do way more than what the Kindle can do. This person would be saying "What oil spill?", and "I can't wait until the iPhone4 comes out!". He/she will be completely behind in all aspects, not just technology. The world is changing rapidly and it is very overwhelming!

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

Vicki Davis and Dr. Strange should be best friends. I guess I didn't realize the technology phenomeun within schools. However, I completely love it! Not only does it help us as the future of America, but it helps students so much to be able to learn in a different way. Not only students do well on standardid testing or with in a pen in their hand. This is a way for ethose students to learn something in a different, more appropriate way.

She mentioned that they were turning school upsidedown. Well, I agree! Being aware of how quickly technology is being reinvented, I do think it is important to incorporate these uses in the classroom. If not, the students will just know how to play XBox360 and how to comment on a friend's Facebook picture. I love that more and more teachers are implmenting this field into kids' daily learning. Life isn't all about the pythagorean theorm and knowing the time of day that the Declaration of Independence was signed. Of course these two things will help when the report cards come, they will not be the only we will need to know when we go out for careers. Like Did You Know said, "The Top 10 In-demand Jobs for 2010 Did Not Exist in 2004."

Blog 1

Who I Am!

I'm Leah. I've lived in Spanish Fort for the 20 years I've been here! I went to Daphne High School my freshman year where I followed in my sister's footsteps starting on the varsity basketball and volleyball team. After that year I was part of a group that had to transfer to the newly established Spanish Fort High School where I continued my athletic career. I then played both sports at the junior college level where I was an Academic All-American in baketball. This is my first year without playing something so I am trying to get accustomed to being a regular student! I decided to come to USA because I could go to school and still see my little brother grow up.

My family consists of two amazing parents and four very different kids! Mom beat breast cancer in 2008 so we are all very thankful! My brother Rick (26) just graduated from Alabama School of Law and will be working with my dad's firm in Daphne. My sister Laura (24) played college basketball at UM and UWF and is now the assistant coach at UWF. I am next in line, and finally there is Will! Will was our 10th foster baby. CSS called us on April 6, 1998, saying that a 40-day-old boy needed a home! Being my birthday, my mom left my school party to go pick him up from the hospital. We completely fell in love with him. After spending many, many months with him, we adopted him just before his first birthday. He is now a stud athlete at Spanish Fort Middle School. For Will's eleventh birthday, mom and dad got him a Morkey. Will suitably named him Nike.

I love kids so I am majoring in Elementary Education. I love the feeling of helping others. Even though most eight-year-olds will not go home thinking about how much their teacher have changed their lives, I still want to make even a small impact. I look back now and realize that I had great teachers and wish I had them at a later time in life so I could appreciate them.

My favorite season of the year is March Madness! Nothing can come close! I am glad I am taking this course this semester because I will be at the Women's 2011 Final Four in Indianapolis in April. I started an earring line called "scoobeadooz" in spring of 2009 and I love it! I love listening to music, staying active, and making others feel good! I stress too much but I think that can also be a good thing!