CFT Summary Post

I was assigned to John Spencer's blog 




I commented on John Spencer' s blog


I want to inspire my students! Being a leader is a great way to be!


Melissa Harrison
EDM 310
University of South Alabama

I commented: 




Great post! I always try to think of different scenarios before I write anything into cyber space. It is hard not to be paranoid in today's technological world. 


Melissa Harrison 
EDM 310 
University of South Alabama

Blog Post 13

Dr. Strange assigned our class to go with out any technology other than a land line phone for 24 hours. Well,  as I first read this assignment I said to my self "I can do this." I was born in 1982. I never had a cellphone until  at least a year after I graduated from high school. I can remember taking a word processing class and a typing class on a typewriter at Murphy High School. I have only owned the original Nintendo in the late 80's - early 90's. I have got this.... Well...

As I headed out the door to take my children to school, I grabbed my iPhone and headed on my way. I ran into several times through out the day that I reached for my phone. At stop lights and store parking lots especially.I found my self wanting to call my husband or a friend. I also really missed  checking my email and checking in to see what was happening  on Facebook. I rely on my phone a lot. By the time I went to school and picked my children up from school, it was a whole lot easier. I was at home and had all kinds of things to keep me busy. I had extra time to spend with my family with out as many interruptions. 

I feel that this assignment really allowed me the opportunity to see how much we rely on technology. I have never really considered myself someone who is dependent on technology. I was WRONG! There is so much technology around us constantly, I think I have taken it for granted. I must admit, I was hard to get used to but, It was kind of nice.

Final report on PLN

I have really enjoyed using my PLN. I was really excited to use symbaloo and organize all of the sites that I visit  on a regular basis. I had been adding sites and websites to my "favorites" for years. It is so nice to have them all listed and organized. I plan to continue to use and grow my PLN even after EDM. I have told some of my friends about this and plan to teach my future students about this as well.

F-JAM PROJECT 15.m4v

Progress report on final project

I am in the group F-Jam. So far we have come up with the idea of making a video about the class. It will pretty much be a video about EDM 310 that will help to ease the minds of future classes. It will consist of many various topics. My group has been using Google doc and has been doing video chats using Google hangout.

C4K April Summary

Yes it's Easter          2:19 on April 1 2012                                 


Hi,

My name is Melissa Harrison and I am a student at University of South Alabama. I am an Elementary and Special Education major. I really enjoyed your post about Easter. My family will be attending Church on Easter morning and having a nice lunch at my grandmother’s house. Also, my two children will be anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Easter bunny! I sure hope they will get lots of candy. Keep up the good work in school and enjoy Easter Sunday!


On April 2nd I received a comment from Lauren and Liana :
Thankyou,
In Australia we recieve chocolate instead to candy from the Easter Bunny. Have a great Easter!
Lauren and Liana
Schools out! Scream and Shout!       8:13 on April 8, 2012
I commented:
I think it is such a neat idea to have a cupcake store to raise money for the schools end of the year graduation and dance. The cupcakes look delicious! I hope you had a wonderful Easter! I look forward to your next post!


Kony 2012 Part II        1:48 on April 12, 2012


I commented:
Thank you so much for posting this video! I hope Joseph Kony will be arrested! What a terrible thing.




All about Revival        10:17pm on April 21,2012


 I commented on Revival's video post about himself



Hi Revival,
My name is Melissa Harrison. I am a student at The University of South Alabama. I really enjoyed watching your video. Great Job! 

Creativity and Curiosity: My Thoughts - Special Post #12A

       Do schools in the United States systematically destroy (or inhibit) the development of curiosity and/or creativity in students? If yes, why does that happen? If no, how do you counter the argument of Sir Ken Robinson that schools do undermine the development of creativity in students? I feel that schools in the United States do kill curiosity and creativity in students.

Our teachers have to teach only what is required and what our students will be tested on. The teachers are assumed not to be good teachers if there students do not do acceptable on the required testing. The kids must learn, do and act exactly as the school system requires. So, with that being said YES our schools are destroying our student’s creativity and curiosity. Young children five or six years old are creative and curious to learn. By the time these children are in 5^th grade they are usually not as curious or creative. They have had the curiosity and creativity taught right out of them. Kids are not being able to use their brain in order to be creative. They are simply memorizing facts.

    Can a curriculum be developed that increases the curiosity/creativity of students? If so, what would be the key components of such a curriculum? I feel that there could be a curriculum that increases curiosity /creativity in our students.

In my opinion these two topics (curiosity and creativity) go hand in hand. The schools are trying to cram in so much that our students hardly have the time to think straight. I really think that hands on activities and projects are a great idea. Teachers should be encouraging and excited/happy to let the children try out new things. Technology in the classroom is also a great way to get the students active in hands on lessons. 

 

Can a teacher's actions increase the curiosity/creativity of students? If so, what would be those actions?

Teachers can really make or break a Child's curiosity and creativity. Sometimes, I feel that teachers are so busy trying to squeeze in all that is required to be taught that things may go overlooked. Teachers should constantly be in search of ways to promote the curiosity and creativity of their students. 

  What would help you become more creative/curious? What role would teachers and/or schools have in that process?

 You can tell when a person is passionate about something. If my teacher is showing a great interest in a particular area in which we are studying, it always sticks with me and makes me want to find out more. I am a very hand on learner. I can remember the hands on things that I learned at school as a child much more that I can remember notes that I took and things that I memorized. 

Blog Post 12

I would like for you to research on YouTube and find a video that you feel is a good example of how teaching  in the 21st century classroom should be. Once you choose your video, write a 1-2 paragraph summary.

After viewing several videos on you tube I really enjoyed Teaching for the 21st Century. It is a fun video that speaks on the importance of teaching your children for the future so to speak. Teachers are preparing our future generation to face the unknown. The world is such a rapidly changing place, who knows what our children will face in there future. Technology is changing rapidly and our children need to be prepared to face what may lie before them. We as teachers need to leave behind the old way of teaching by memorizing facts. We need to allow our students to unleash their hidden talents. A supportive/connected environment where the learning is student centered. The students can learn so much from all of the technology that is available to them. Blogging, Google, Face book &Twitter are just a handful of the wonderful resources that are available to us by the click of a mouse or the touch of a screen. This video states that the use of technology energizes students and inspires creative thinking, I could not agree more. Children are amazing! I have witnessed my own child (6 years old) sit down at my laptop and Google whatever it is she is looking to find online. If she has the opportunity to use a computer, iPad, Smart phone or any other technological device she is thrilled! Kids love the freedom that technology has to offer. They can communicate with other classrooms throughout the world. Our students need to be prepared for digital citizenship. After all, this is a very diverse world that we live in. Our students need to work with diverse groups of people of all ethnicities and cultures. What better way than through the internet! Our students also need to be able to use the tools that are essential to everyday life and in the workplace. Children need to have the knowledge to solve problems and make decisions.

Teaching for the 21st Century is a great way to sum up the way I feel about teaching. Aside from just educating, I feel that teachers must possess many other attributes as well. Teachers should be passionate about teaching and learning. They must also be sensitive yet firm. Teachers should work hard to get to know there students and their backgrounds. In being a future educator I see the many hats that a teacher in the 21st century must wear. I cannot wait to take on that challenge!

Blog Post 11

First Graders in Mrs. Cassidy's Class     

After watching this video I felt extremely excited about my future as an educator. Watching and listening to the children speaking about technology was so inspiring. I really feel the importance of the use of technology and what it has to offer. As a future educator I plan on incorporating technology into my classroom.

Ms Kathy Cassidy Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

After watching this interview one of the main things that I really liked was the fact that Ms. Cassidy worked really hard to bring technology into her classroom. She tried to learn as much as she could before her students started in her room. I am really impressed with Ms. Cassidy; I hope that one day I will be able to teach like she does. I most defiantly want to incorporate blogging into my future classroom. I also really like the different methods that she uses to help keep her students safe on the web. 

Blog Post 10

Do you teach or Do you educate? is an awesome video that really gets the point across on the importance of not just "teaching" but Educating. "Education is not the filling of a vessel, but the kindling of a flame." is one of the key points that the video suggests. A teacher teaches, shows or explains how to do something or encourages someone to accept a fact or principle. To teach is also to cause someone to learn or understand something. An educator on the other hand illuminates, enlightens, inspires or enlightens. Also, gives intellectual, moral and social instruction. They are a mentor, a trusted and experienced adviser. Which one do you want to be? 

I want to educate. I want to show my students the way. I want to be the one kindling their flame. I became an education major because I love children. I can remember being in elementary school and really wanting to be a teacher one day. In having two children of my own (6 and 4) I really enjoy kids. I love being in the school environment. I also take great pride in working with children and watching them catch on to new concepts. This is an awesome video. Without a single word it speaks so loudly! Inspiring!

Tom Johnson's blog post Don't let them take pencils home was an interesting read. I feel like the overall idea of this post is to speak on the way they that teachers mask children s creativity. Teachers often time focus so much on test scores and not enough on what the children are actually learning. Mr. Johnson states that" "Children are learning even when we don't realize It." which is so very true. I am so tired of the usual testing that we have all become accustom to. All students are not test takers. I hate that children are constantly being judged on how well they do on a test! This was a wonderful blog post and I will most defiantly be adding this to my PLN.

C4K March

On March 4, 2012 @ 9:53pm I commented on Sarah Miller's blog Evaluating Napoleon. I commented:


Hi Sarah,
I am Melissa Harrison and I am a student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. I enjoyed reading your post. Although Napoleon was known to some as brilliant, in answering your question I have to go with him being a jerk! He was a dictator and addicted to power.

Sarah's question was do you think Napoleon was brilliant or a jerk?
So far I have not received a comment back from Sarah.

On March 25, 2012 I commented on Kaitlyn #26's blog. She is a 4th grade student in the United Kingdom.
I commented:


Hi, Kaitlyn

My name is Melissa Harrison. I am a student at the University of South Alabama which is located in Mobile Alabama. I enjoyed reading your poem. Do you write poems often? Keep up the good work!
So far I have not received a comment back from Kaitlyn.

Blog Post 9

What I have learned this year was a blog post composed by Mr. Joe McClung. Mr. McClung has posted a blog post reflecting on his year of teaching. He speaks on accomplishments and thing that he has learned. This first post that I had the pleasure to view was posted after his first year as a teacher. I loved reading this as it gave me firsthand information of different things that I may endure as a first year teacher. As he reflects on his journey as a first year teacher I can picture myself in his situation. I absolutely love to hear stories from the classroom and will take note of any advice that I can. In how to read the crowd, Mr. McClung says that sometimes teachers are so worried about pleasing the superiors that the lessons were not student centered. He speaks on the importance of being flexible. To remember “NO LESSON IS EVER PERFECT. THE LESSON YOU TEACH AND THE ONE YOU PLAN ARE ALWAYS DIFFERENT. " Communication is the key. Although that may seem simple. " communication is the pathway to building that much desired rapport with fellow teachers." People have the tendency to forget to use their communication skills.

This is just a few of the subjects that Mr. McClung speaks on. I will take heed to the message that Mr. McClung is giving us and run with it.

What I learned this year was Mr. McClung's blog entry at the end of his third complete teaching year was great reading. He spoke of his third year teaching and his second year teaching in the same school. He speaks about knowing who your boss is and how important to center your self around your students and not focus your attention on impressing the other teachers in your school. Mr. McClung also speaks on not getting to comfortable. He states that with experience his job as a teacher has gotten easier. He is more comfortable and routine. He says that it is not a good idea to fall into routine. Effective teachers are constantly changing things up. I really enjoyed reading these posts. Thanks Mr. McClung, keep them coming!