Sunday, August 31, 2014

Blog Post # 2



Mr. Dancealot
In the video Mr. Dancealot the central message from this video is that a student can’t learn unless he or she practices what they learn. The author proves this case when making the male sit down instead of practicing what the students are learning. If you don’t practice what you learn, or what you are told, then you will not understand what to do. The class would have learned the dance steps if they were able to do the steps as the professor taught them.

Teaching in the 21st Century
From the video Teaching in the 21st century, it tells us that teaching isn’t the same as it used to be. Technology is now used more than ever and is constantly getting remade and becoming even better that before. Students get so much information from the Internet and we are responsible for showing them ways to use it and not abuse it. He also mentions that we should engage the students and not entertain them. I think this is mostly true. The students should definitely be engaged but they should be entertained through their engagement or they will see some things being given to them as busy work.

The Networked Student
The video,The Networked Student, tells us that students today rely on the Internet and social media to learn. It also gives us some ideas of what teachers want students to take away from the classroom. It also asks if we really need teachers if we have all of this access to technology. I believe teachers teach more to kids than just subjects. Teachers teach students how to be successful in life. In my eyes, technology is like watching a movie instead of reading a book. While reading a book you are pushing yourself and getting more complex pictures of what is happening. When you watch a movie, its quick, easy, and painless. Reading a book is like learning from a teacher. You are learning everything with much more emphasis and details. While a teacher may be teaching a history lesson, she or he may turn the lesson into a life lesson by the time it is over. Watching a movie is like learning from the Internet. We get the information easily by using Google or looking something up and just reading. We only learn how to go through life from people who have already experienced it. Without this, who would teach us?

Harness Your Students Digital Smarts
In the video, Your Students Digital Smarts, I do like this teacher’s approach in the classroom. I like the way she leaves her mind open to learn as well as pushing the students to learn and explore themselves. Technology can be fun and exciting for the students to learn with as long as they don’t abuse it. Technology in the classroom is a good thing because it gives the students all an equal opportunity to engage. If a student cannot afford a computer than he or she will feel less about themselves and ashamed, and this could cause a problem.

Who's Ahead In The Learning Race
From watching the video Who’s Ahead in the Learning Race and looking at the facts that we were given, we can see that Elementary students are ahead in the learning race. This is a shame to me as a student that some people my age do not know how to do some of these things. I believe that some students in today’s society are just too lazy to learn and search for the right answer. On another hand, I believe that these children have grown up with more technology than students my age, which gives them an advantage.

Flipping The Classroom
Before watching Flipping The Classroom I haven’t ever heard of “Flipping The Classroom”. This is a very new method to me. This gives the students homework to do during the night so that they can have a jump-start on class as well as give the student more time to practice what he or she learns. I think this method would be effective but we also have to take into consideration the children’s life at home. What if he or she has to work to help pay bills? We can’t expect children to be overloaded at home with so much work to do that they get behind. The fact that the teacher will let the students that don’t have access to computers watch the material in class that morning helps a lot.

Inspire, Teach, Change


Sunday, August 24, 2014

Blog Post #1

  What About EDM310?

  EDM310 is talked about more than any other class in this major. I have heard more than one person say it is the most dreadful class they have ever been through. I find this to be a good and bad thing. I think it is a good thing because the easy classes that don't require much work don't give you anything to take away from the class. I think it is a bad thing because the negative talk about the class makes people dread it before they even sign up to take it. EDM310 is going to be a challenge. I know that I will have to make time for the class on top of my other classes, which is one of my concerns. My other concern is that I mess up and do something the wrong way. In that case, I will just be able to learn from my mistakes.
  EDM310 isn't like any other class I have taken in high school or college. I have had classes that require work online but I have never had a class that without a teacher. I think it will be a good experience to push myself into thinking and figuring things out on my own. I think with the motivation I have to pass this class and finish school, I will make it through this class. I will also have to put some time aside every week to make sure that I have finished all of my work. I don't have any questions about this class. I think the syllabus and the lecture we had in class covered all of my questions.

Books



Practice Blog Post


  • Where I live
  • Why I am at USA
  • Family 
  • Interests
  • Major
  • 21st Century educators

  My name is Alexandria Nicole Grow. I have lived in Satsuma, Alabama my whole life. I have two brothers that love to get on my nerves and pick on me. My little brother just started college at Faulkner State Community College and my younger brother just started his Sophomore year in high school. This makes me feel very old. I am 21 years old and I am in my senior year at USA. I chose South because it is close to my family and I am a homebody. I am a member of ARF in Mobile. ARF is a rescue center for animals in the community. I enjoy helping out at the shelter and providing dogs with foster homes as well as permanent homes. I really like to cook, but I am not very good at it. I have gotten better over time but it is still a work in progress. I also really like music. My boyfriend plays music and I like listening to the sound of him play the guitar. I am in the process of learning how to play. I also like watching sports and running.
  I have wanted to be a teacher since my sophomore year of high school. My cheerleading sponsor was a special education teacher at Satsuma High. Being a cheerleader, I was always in her class helping her run errands and get things done around there. Seeing how she impacted the children's lives made me decide on this major. (Posted below is a picture of her and I) I think it is important for children to have positive and uplifting influences in their lives on a day to day basis. I think modern day teachers have the opportunity to mold and make the future. I think being an educator is a lot of work. I think he or she should be up to date on modern technology. This is because of all of the advantages teachers have with technology in the classroom. A modern day educator should be a positive role model in the classroom and out of the classroom because the children he or she teaches will look up to he or she. Being an educator is commonly overlooked in the world today. This is a shame and I think all educators deserve much more than they get.

Laurin Tew and I