Blog Post 2

Professor Dancealot Lectured More Than Danced

From experience, I can relate to those poor, drowsy students in Professor Dancealot. Last summer I signed up for drama at the University of South Alabama, and I didn't get what I expected. I thought I was going to be doing plays, but I really sat in a classroom for an hour and a half listening to lectures about people who performed many eons ago. We did get to act a few times, but I never really learned drama. Professor Dancealot made a classic mistake teachers tend to make--he lectured the students about dance without letting them actually dance. When the final exam came he expected the students to perform dance even though they learned nothing and never went to a dance studio. From what I saw, the students all failed. I'm not a fan of always blaming the teacher, but in cases where a concept can only be learned through performance, it's the teacher's fault if he/she doesn't encourage students to get up and learn. I think teachers shouldn't expect their students to learn without exposing them to the environment that they should learn.

The Networked Student

In the Networked Student Wendy Drexler used caricature to show a young college student aspiring to succeed in American Psychology. The college student's teacher never lectured, so how was he supposed to learn? Well, she believed in something called Connectivism, and she used her belief to encourage the class to gain their own education through a learning network. 

The college student took control of his education's destiny through reaching out to other students via learning network. Through that learning network, he gathered tools he needed in order to succeed in American Psychology. His professor acted as a "Learning Architect" and improved his ability to communicate. I think that is wonderful because we all need somebody to push us in the right direction.






Why do we need a teacher?

We need teachers because teachers have a status that ordinary citizens don't have. Teachers are expected to have expertise in a specific field like English, math, science, or history. That's okay. Think about it. If somebody who bagged groceries told you he wanted you to join a learning network to become immersed with your education, you'd probably ignore him because he doesn't have the status that suggests he knows something success. It's the cold truth about this world. In most cases, we can't (and shouldn't) trust information from illegitimate sources. The college student in the video needed the professor because she was a reliable source to go to in case he needed extra help. We need teachers because knowledge will not be obtained and passed on without their hard work. It's the student's job to work also.

Revised

Tonya Murphy discussed Teaching in the 21st Century

Kevin Roberts sees the future filled with technology. I agree with the idea that teachers should be teaching their students about computers. The world is at your fingertips with computers, as long as you have the knowledge of how to find it. I believe that computers should be a must in schools today ,and not just the simple typing classes, but the basics of the internet. The world is going green; everything is becoming computerized. While all of the subjects (math, science, english, etc) are necessary, it will be hard to get a job without the knowledge of computers. Roberts also pointed out the fact that we need to engage our students, not just put a teacher in front of the classroom. The students need to have fun while learning. We need to allow them access to their phones in school as a learning tool. At the same time the school board cripples teachers in that aspect, because the principals will not allow phones on the premises. A technology class should be offered where cell phones are welcomed in at least that class.

Christopher Perry discussed Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

Mrs. Vicky Davis is a great example of what we need from future generation teachers. She believes that if you give the students the tools and accessibility to look up information that they may not know they can find out for themselves. In one part of her lesson she told them to do a certain thing that she did not know how to do. She required them to look up how to preform the operation and then report back to her and teach the rest of the class and herself. This operation that she had them do was called terraforming. She also went on and connected her students to other students around the world in a global collaboration to work with students around the world. Those students coming from a rural community in southern Georgia are learning things that are a head of their time. Basically, what she is trying to say is that we as educators should not be trying to discourage the process of learning but taking away the most powerful tools that we have available today.

Blog Post 1

If I Built a School, What Would it be like?

In Krissy Venosdale's blog If I Built a School anyone could see that children are the motivation in Venosdale's life. Her mission has a no curriculum, a student oriented vibe, and Project Based Learning. There is nothing silly or impossible about her vision. Actually, her mission can turn out to be a significant, life changing alteration for elementary education. Her colorful and inviting school provides the vision that cooperative learning is possible and could be good for children. As a student pursuing secondary education, I have to admit that I'm jealous that I can't share her positive aspect and vision for elementary education.

I blame my impatience for small children.

Sugata Mita's video inspired me so much I had to press the like button the Youtube video Build a School in the Cloud . This kind of meant something to me because I usually am too lazy to press like on Youtube videos. Mita is a professor of Educational Technology at the School of Education Communication and Language Sciences. He does this in Newcastle University, England. He says, "schools as we know them are obsolete." That quote did in deed shock me because...well, schools still exist and we use them as efficiently as we can. How can they be as useless as a payphone? He conducted experiments in a few isolated foreign villages by installing an English-based computer in random places to intrigue young children to learn. The computer taught cell division in English, a language the children aren't exposed to. After months, he discovered that students can learn the cell division in English without a teacher. Mita came to a grave conclusion. School is pointless.

Just this morning I was discussing with my husband about our educational system. During our conversation I told him there is so much technology around us. All the children that spend hours on Facebook could use the same internet connection to become anything they want to be by trying in a search bar. The answer is everywhere--cellphones, computers, libraries, schools, and the entire universe if you take the time to observe and admire. What stops us from becoming what we wish to be is us.

What do I want my students to know?

Secondary Education/ English is my major's status right now so it's safe to assume I want my high school students to learn English. They need to be familiar and comfortable with grammar rules. Like I tell my husband, "you don't deserve to break grammar rules freely in creative writing until you know the rules." The rules are simple to me and I want my students to know they are simple as well. Literary elements are an interesting convention and tool to have in your creative writing toolbox so I want to teach them those literally elements through literature.

Yes, I know literature and grammar rules = snooze fest, but that can change if I can get my students aware that it is important to be engaged in learning.

What do I want my students to be able to do?

I want my students to be like Mita's students. I want pose a question and anticipate my students' response. I want them to be able to increase their linguistics and vocabulary without my help. If they see a word they don't know and what should I do? Nothing. Maybe use it in a sentence to make them think. I want them to be independent learners because the world is immersed with opportunities in which you are forced to learn on your own.

My primary way of teaching

Curiosity is very important in learning. What provokes curiosity? I don't know. It's natural to be curious, right? Kittens are naturally curious. Let's not take this literal folks, but I want to treat my students like kittens that want a ball of yarn. I'll dangle some interesting topics in front of them. They'll reach for it, and I'll snatch it before they can grasp it to get the answer. I want them to know that it is much more satisfying to reach out and finally obtain the information than for someone to give to them every time. It's kind of like Venosdale's vision in a remote way. In her vision the children reach out for their education like it's a treat. Being educated is a treat like a ball of yarn to a kitten.



What tools will you use in your classroom

Well, the tools I'll use are a wrench and a screwdriver. Just kidding. I will use creative writing references because students do enjoy them. I know because I was a high school student not too long ago. I will use Powerpoint for a visual learning and make them speak in front of class to increase their interaction skills and confidence. I can't have a rainbow classroom or animal crackers for good grades because that will insult my students' intelligence, but I will use a reward system of some sort to boost confidence and promote motivation.

What role will students play in my classroom?

Let's get real. It's high school, so none of my students will be running around making ruckus while painting doggies and kitty-cats on the dry erase board. Students will, however, interact with each other and me. I expect them to maturely handle the crucial, dreaded "group work" assignments. Also, my students will play ADULT. No late assignments. No bad behavior. No crying.

My school would have litters and litters of independent learning kitties. By the way, I like kitties.

Practice Blog Post

I will give a fair warning. I am a very candid person because we are supposed to be adults here. I do not use profane language or try insult people, but I do believe that if I have the opportunity to express myself on a site like this then I should be able to kick back admire having an excuse to tell the truth without punishment. I am twenty years old and I am married to my loving husband Kelvin. At first I might seem kind of bitter, but I am a very understanding person and I entered education to prove to students in an honest way that teachers can be helpful to their lives. I attend the University of South Alabama.

I honestly came to the University of South Alabama for one reason--low tuition. I can admit that the campus is increasingly gaining an esthetic quality about it because of the landscaping by the humanities building and whatnot. Any who, I have to confess that I do not like talking about my family much unless I'm talking about my mother who I love and my parents-in-law. My family is loony like everybody's family. Nobody has a normal family. Nobody really likes to talk about their family unless they have good things to say like: "Oh, me and my family visit the YMCA on Tuesdays, or me and my family actually use the dinning table for family fun night."

With the usage of technology increasing, we all are in denial if we hesitate to admit that it hinders "family time." What is family now? Our cellphones? Our computers? Our television programs? The strange Facebook friends we acquire for the sake of having more Facebook friends than the next guy? Even though I have family I do not know them as well as I should. I wish my family could be more closely tied together, but some of them are already engaged to technology and drama. I do love my husband. I really love my husband mostly because I can be completely honest with him as he does with me and that means I trust him with everything including the things I compose on my spare time.

In my spare time I write books because it's a hobby I adopted years ago after my mother was ill. It became something that helped me get away from my problems and anguish. I strive to get better at it and enjoy doing it more than anything on the internet. I guess I can say I am both happy and frustrated with being technology illiterate because it's my passion. Writing keeps me from being immersed with technology. Just last month I reached my 70,000 word milestone in one of my novels. I really enjoy writing which makes it the primary reason why I decided to teach English and the reason why I am more comfortable with who I am as a person.

My Test Post Title

This is my First Post. I clicked the HTML button which I should always do in EDM310. I am now a Blogger!