Blog Post #9 Mr. McClung's Reflections

First Year Reflection
What I've Learned This Year (2008 - 2009)
The first year for a teacher is usually the most difficult but at the same time the most rewarding. Mr. McClung's first year was no exception. He learned so many important things his first year and thankfully is willing to share them. Mr. McClung learned that he is not the center of the universe but rather his students are. He learned the importance of communication both with his students as well as with his colleagues. He learned that flexibility is a must in the classroom and that there will always be a difference between the lesson you plan and the one you actually teach. McClung offers a ton of other advice for the first year teacher including, not setting unreasonable goals for students, really listening to students, to not be afraid of but rather to embrace technology, and finally to never stop learning.
I really enjoyed reading Mr. McClung's first year reflection and it took me back to my first year as a techer. Yes, my first year was my toughest but it was also my most rewarding. I can second the advice Mr. McClung gives to first year teachers. I would take it a step further and suggest that one of the most critical and rewarding aspects of teaching is the development of strong teacher/student relationships. Strong relationships between teachers and students will go a long way towards making teaching a love rather than a job or chore. Resourceful teachers can find a myriad of ways of using these relationships in their everyday teaching.

Third Year Reflection
What I've Learned This Year -Vol. 4 (2011 - 2012)
In his third year as a teacher Mr. McClung had fewer lessons to share with his readers. This is understandable due to the huge learning curve first year teachers are faced with. In this reflection Mr. McClung deals with two areas he feels like were learning points for the year. First, for some reason in his third year, Mr. McClung began to worry about what his teacher peers thought of him as an educator. It sounds like he not only worried about it but became mildly obsessed. In the end however, Mr. McClung was able to refocus his attention on what was important, his students. This refocusing, allowed him to come to the realization that it did not matter what his peers thought. The second thing he struggled with during his third year was complacency. He found himself relying on old lesson plans and realized that he was not being as creative as he once was. This realization spurred him to make the decision to fight his complacency and work harder to be a more creative teacher and insure that his students enjoyed his classes.
Mr. McClung's third year reflection could have been a page taken out of my own life. I have been teaching for seven years and a couple of years ago my school began 360 peer reviews. Basically what happens with these reviews is that you are critiqued by your students, peers and superiors in a process that is supposed to make you realize where your strengths and weaknesses lie. During this process though I became similarly obsessed with what my peers thought to the point that it became distracting. I had to reach the same conclusion that Mr. McClung did, that as long as I was focusing on my students, and doing the best job I could to teach them what they needed, my peers opinions didn't matter. I have also struggled with complacency as did Mr. McClung. I found myself skating along using the same material from year to year with out realizing what I was doing. I had to make a conscious effort, it wasn't easy, to become the teacher I once was but it has been worth it! I am also going to be teaching at a different level when I go back next year and I am eager for the challenge!

Project #12 Book Trailer

Above is a trailer I did for the book Miss Smith Under The Ocean. Take a look if you're interested! I'd love to know what you think!

Project #10 PLN Progress Report 1

Above is a screenshot of what my PLN currently looks like. I have used symbaloo as my program of choice to set up my PLN which is divided into five areas. The top left corner contains the online tools that I have worked with or have had recommended to me. The top right corner is where all of my news and sports sites are. The lower right corner is where my personal sites like email, blog site, school website etc...are. The lower left corner is where my social networking sites are as well as Netflicks and Youtube. The bottom center section is where my currency exchange, travel and shopping sites are located. I am still working on this site and I definitely see the advantage of having all of this in one location.

Comments For Teachers #2, Post 1 + 2

Comment For Teacher #2, Post #1
Teacher: Brian Nichols
Blog Summary:
In His blog The Evolution of Education Brian believes that we as teachers need to stop using the term "at risk" when discussing struggling students. He thinks we need to do away with this phrase because it focuses on all of the things that can't be fixed or we don't have control over. Instead Brian believes that we need to change our way of thinking and adopt "school dependent" as our new phrase. His reasoning for adopting this phrase is that it shifts the focus from areas beyond our control to areas we can affect and control. He wants teachers to focus on things like quality of instruction,interventions, mentor programs, and getting our students involved in clubs and other extracurricular activities. By focusing on what we can control instead of what we can not we can make a difference!
Comment Summary:
I told Brian how much I appreciated his blog and that I am tired of hearing teachers use "at risk" as an excuse to explain away struggling students. I said that I was a proponent of positive thinking and that is what his "school dependent" idea is all about. I told him that I agree with him that teachers should focus on areas that they can influence and control and not waste their time in those they have no control over.

Comment For Teacher #2, Post #2:
Teacher: Brian Nichols
Blog Summary:
Brian in his post discusses his recent attendance at an Edscape conference. He describes the wonderful experience he had attending sessions taught by people he looks up to and follows in the educational world. He himself also presented a talk about leading and learning from connections. Brian definitely is a proponent of having good connections to help you as a teacher. Brian obviously left the conference refreshed, stimulated and challenged to improve himself as a teacher and highly recommends attending an Edscape conference.
Comment Summary:
I told Brian how much I enjoyed reading about his experience attending an Edscape conference. I mentioned that it sounded similar to an ICEC conference that I attend in Kenya every 3 years and how much I enjoy it. I told him that what I enjoy the most is being in an environment that is rich with knowledge, passion, and experience and that I wish we could have the ICEC conference more often.

Blog Post #8 Writing With Multimedia etc...

Part I: This Is How We Dream; Part 1; Part 2
Dr. Miller, in his Youtube videos This Is How We Dream, is bringing forth the argument that individual writing, as a print based entity will, and probably already has, become obsolete. He uses the example of his own book As If Learning Mattered and the process by which it was published to show us the traditional writing and publishing process. Dr. Miller took months to write his book, which in turn took months to publish. It then was relegated to the shelf along with all the other academic books where it eventually became less than popular and was available on Amazon for under a dollar.
Dr. Miller believes that we have moved beyond the traditional printing process to being able to print straight from the web. He has coined the term "Writing With Multimedia" to describe this ability. What Dr. Miller means with this term is that we can do everything, that was done in the traditional printing/publishing process, all on the web. Dr. Miller thinks of it as creating as opposed to writing and we can do this thanks to a multitude of new and innovative programs available on the web. We can add audio and video clips to our creation. We can add links to information sites that are updated minute by minute allowing access to the latest information available. The best part of writing with multimedia is that unlike books, that have a shelf life, a web based creation can potentially live forever!
I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Miller's video clips! I am impressed with his forethought when it comes to the process of writing. It was hard for me to grasp some of the concepts that he dreams, will be and may already be, possible with the technology of today and the future. It has been hard to wrap my head around a lot of the video clips we have watched in this clip and I can only shake my head in amazement at what is and what may be available in the future. I would love to be able to write like Dr. Miller envisions but at this point I think I probably would not be very successful. I think I could ultimately produce a well done creation but it would take a long time mainly due to my unfamiliarity with the available technology. I am also a person that likes to do things very well which means extra time consuming practice. I am working hard to try and alleviate these set backs and I can't wait to be at the point where I can successfully write with multimedia! I don't think I am too far off but only time will tell!

Part II: Carly's Blog Post #12
To say that I enjoyed Carly's post would be an understatement. It was quite a piece of work and extremely well written. I think Carly did a great job of intertwining print with technology in the form of video links. Her proposed project, of having her students make a playlist on Youtube is a brilliant one. The teacher in me sees so many opportunities for using this in many different ways and subject areas. This could even be used in Math and Science to help students build background knowledge of a particular subject matter prior to its assignment by the teacher. The best part is that the students would enjoy doing it! I think Carly has come very close to what Dr. Miller envisioned as multimedia writing. I loved her choice of video clips because it shows a bit of her personality while hammering home her reasoning points.

Part III: EDM310 For Dummies etc...
Having to go back and watch these videos again was a great reminder of how far I have come in EDM310. At the beginning I could definitely relate with the ladies in EDM310 For Dummies but looking back I can see how much I have accomplished and it gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment. I think this video did a good job letting me know, then, that I was not alone in my frustration with EDM310. I found the Chipper Series to be a bit droll but their message of not procrastinating was definitely a wise one. I hate to think where I would be if had procrastinated. I think that I would like to be a part of making a movie about proper writing. Writing is important and good writing is the hallmark of an individual with a well rounded education. I think I would make the movie in the style of a narrated PowerPoint or something similar. I would embed video clips throughout the PowerPoint that offered examples and tips for better writing. I would also include links to handpicked sites offering advice on writing with style and purpose etc... I would make sure to show examples of poor grammar, writing and style, including those that come from the EDM310 instructional manual, as well as the proper corrections. If teachers ever want to be looked upon as professionals we need to write like professionals.

Part IV:Learning To Change; Changing To Learn
This is probably one of the most thought provoking videos I have watched to date! It deals with what schools will be like in the future. Gone will be the traditional schools of brick and mortar and their rigid standards. Schools will only be used as a place to meet for collaborative work and social networking. Everything else will take place outside the physical school. Schools should be more engaging and interactive than the world outside of them, not the other way around, as it is today. I love the quote at the end of the video that states "This will be the end of education but the dawn of learning" This speaks to the current notion of what schools and education are and what they should be. I think this video is probably spot on as far as their predictions are concerned and I agree with them as to the role teachers will play in education. The video stated that students need to know how to find information, validate it, synthesize it, leverage it, communicate it, collaborate with it, and problem solve with it. In order to do that they need teachers to teach them. To accomplish this, teachers need to be up to speed on the latest technologies, and be able to teach their students how to make use of them in the best way possible. This will be, in my opinion, probably the single most difficult hurdle to overcome in order to get the school of the future off and running.
Part V: Scavenger Hunt on Web 2.0
Sect A: Make a Comic strip

I used Make Beliefs Comix to make this comic strip. If this looks like something you would like to try just follow the link!
Sect B: Never Before Used Video Tool
For this task we were to pick a video tool we have never used before and give a brief description of some of its unique feature. I chose Animoto.com/education because it is tailored for teachers. Animoto for teachers has four features that stand out. First is Cinematic A.I., in this feature the program automatically analyzes your music, pictures and video and puts a video together for you. All you have to do is concentrate on the content of the video and how you are going to narrate it. A second feature is Include Text and in this feature you can add text in and amung your pictures and videos. This can simply be for identification purposes or can be motivational snippets designed to inspire your audience. Feature number three is Spotlight. With Spotlight you can highlight a specific image or video or give it more time to play during your presentation. The last feature I want to share is not necessarily unique but extremely beneficial. Animoto makes it very easy to share your completed work whether that is to your blog, website or Youtube.If Animoto.com sounds like something you'd like to use feel free to use the link and enjoy!
Sect C: Poll Making Tool In this section we were to find a tool that would allow us to create a poll anywhere and at anytime. I chose PollEverywhere.com to make the poll you see below. Follow the link and make your own!

Blog Post #7 The Networked Student

Part 1: The Networked Student
by Wendy Drexler
Wendy Drexler, in her video The Networked Student, offers a window into the future. This look she provides gives us an opportunity, to not only see what technology will be like, but also some of the skills our students will need in order to succeed. Networking is simply an individual linking themselves to other individuals, in some manner, who have common interests or who may be able to provide a service or information at a later date. These networks can be of a social, business or academic nature. Networking has been around for eons and has been a major tool for the success of the average individual. Networking has gone from a list of phone numbers, to email accounts and now to blogs and websites. The internet lets us come into contact with leaders in every field in moments no matter where they, or we, are in the world. We can do now in minutes what would have taken days, or longer, as little as ten years ago.
The future is going to be a very competitive place in which to live and work. Who ever can complete work in the shortest amount of time and at the lowest cost will be successful. This is where networking comes into play. The stronger and better the personal network the faster and more efficiently an individual can accomplish whatever task may have been set before them. The internet is an incredible networking tool and when used correctly and efficiently can help an individual build a network second to none.
So if an individual can do all of this then one might ask why do we need teachers? We need teachers to teach our children the skills they need to build their own network. Sure an individual could ultimately teach themselves the appropriate skills necessary to build a good network but we want them to build a great network! We as teachers are needed to teach them the finer points of networking. Teachers, along with parents, need to teach our students proper social skills. We need to teach them how to communicate properly and respectfully with those they are networking with. Teachers need to instill in our students the ability to separate the good information from the bad. Teachers are also needed to provide inspiration and encouragement throughout the network building process. So as you can see, despite all of the advances in the future, there will still be a place in the education process for teachers.

Part II: A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment
This is a brief look into one 7th grade student's personal learning environment or PLE. A PLE is nothing more than a collection of information, and contacts, on various subjects brought together by a single individual. The individual then can use this information for all kinds of things.
This 7th grade student's PLE is amazing! She has so much information, on a huge assortment of topics, stored on her personal site. I thought it was incredible how many different tasks she was able to complete using her PLE! I also found it quite interesting that she had both academic and social links on her site. Most people don't think the two should mix but I think this is a great way for students to learn!

C4K Comment Summary for September

C4K Comment #1
Student: Jordenne E.
School: Pt England School, Auckland N.Z.
URL: http://pesjordennee.blogspot.com/2012/09/basketball.html?showComment=1348432508050#c2185832744105278415
Comment:
Hi Jordenne,
My name is Paul Bedsole and I am a teacher from Alabama in the United States. I normally teach grade 6 students in Nairobi, Kenya but I am now back in the States to get my teaching certificate renewed. My students are 10 to 12 years old. What would be the same grade level in your school system? I really enjoyed reading your blog and learning a little bit about you. You and I share a love of sports just different ones. I love soccer(football) and volleyball and coach both at my school. I know that you are finished with basketball so what sport will you play next? Congratulations on your netball results and good luck with whatever sport you play next!
Paul Bedsole
C4K Comment #2
Class: Mr Capps Third Grade
School: Gulfshores Elementary
URL: http://campcapps.edublogs.org/
Comment:
Greetings Mr. Capp’s 3rd Grade class,
My name is Paul Bedsole and I am a student at the University of South Alabama. I am taking a class called EDM 310 which is why I get to learn about your class. I really enjoyed reading your class blog this week and if I had to take that many tests in one day I would be tired too! Do you have that many tests often? I wish that I could have been a visitor in your class Friday because it looks like you have a lot of fun even when you have a lot of tests! Have a great week next week, keep up the hard work, and don’t stop blogging!
Paul Bedsole

Project #8 Podcast Video

This Podcast is based on Rafe Esquith's book "Lighting Their Fires" and is a book I would highly recommend to any and all teachers!

Project #9 200+ Years Of British Monarchs Timetoast Timeline

This week we were required to pick one of three or four different programs and make something we could use to help us teach a lesson. I enjoy history so I chose the last two hundred plus British monarchs and used timetoast to make a timeline. I know British history is not a common subject here in the States which I think lends itself as an excellent subject matter for a timeline example. Here is the link so take a look if your interested.
200+ Years Of British Monarchs Timetoast Timeline

Blog Post #6 Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture
Randy Pausch is an amazing speaker! Randy Pausch is a professor at Carnegie Mellon University where he teaches students how to make virtual worlds using computer generated graphics. Randy is also a motivational speaker, who has terminal cancer, so he is taking this last opportunity to impact as many people as he can. In this video Randy talks about the things that everyone needs to know and do to achieve their dreams. First Randy believes that everyone should have dreams and that we should strive to attain those dreams. Second we should help others to attain their dreams. Randy, during his lifetime has learned many lessons, many of which have been difficult, on how to accomplish these two tasks and these are the focus of this talk.
Randy believes that everyone should have dreams and we need to try our best to attain them. Now obviously we have to be realistic about which dreams we strive to attain but Randy says that the pursuit of dreams is what drives us in school, in business, and in life. I love Randy's comment that "brick walls are there to let us prove how much we want something". If we want it bad enough then we will find a way over, under or around that brick wall. His point is that we should never give up, on our dreams and our goals, but should persevere to the very end.
The area that I thought was most beneficial to me was when Randy talked about our responsibilities to help others attain their dreams. This is where we as teachers come in. We need to insure not only that our students have dreams but that those dreams are not crushed or extinguished but rather are fostered and allowed to blossom. We need to set the standards bar high for our students and hold them accountable to those lofty standards. We need to be more than just teachers we need to be mentors, guiding our students in the directions they need to go to realize their goals.I love Randy's comment about it being "a bad thing when you are messing up and nobody says anything". What that means is that as mentors we need to have the courage to voice the negative criticism with the positive. Teachers should never give up on their students and Randy's comment that "the best gold is often found at the bottom of barrels of crap" is priceless and right on the money. We as teachers need to see the best in every student no matter how long it takes for them to show it. Teachers need to ensure that our students are prepared for the world out there and Randy's comment "Be prepared, luck is where preparation meets opportunity" is probably my favorite!
Probably the most beneficial section of Randy's video is the last third. In this section he talks about the lessons he has learned that helped him realize his dreams. So often we are too much the realists, when dealing with our students dreams, and we often inadvertently snuff them out. Randy says that "we should never lose the child like wonder of our dreams because it is what drives us". He talked about his parents, his mentors and his students and the roles they played in his life. If an individual is going to realize their dreams it is absolutely critical that they have their parents support but more importantly that their parents believe in them. It is crucial that everyone has a mentor or mentors that they can use as a sounding board. They need to have mentors who are not afraid to tell them what they need to hear and not necessarily what they want to hear. This keeps them balanced personally and professionally. Randy also believed that we can learn as much from our students as they learn from us and often we learn more.
Randy also has a lot of personal advice, on how to live your life, that has a tendency to be left out in this day and age. Some of his advice might be considered archaic by today's standards but I think it is very relevant and should be taught in every school in America. Randy believes that we should focus on others and not ourselves. We should tell the truth, be earnest, and apologize when we mess up. Randy believes that when we are working towards a goal that we should never give up but that it's ok to ask for help because often our goals are impossible alone. If we expect loyalty from those around us then we should be loyal because loyalty is a two way street. Show gratitude to those around you and when life gets you down don't complain just work harder. Randy's video is packed with valuable information that need to be imparted to our students and I would recommend this video to anyone young or old! Take a look the link is at the top!