Final Reflection
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Blog Post #5 (part 2)- Final PLN Summary
Final Summary of PLN
At the beginning of the semester my PLN was not well developed. I only had a few teachers and resources that I could reach out to. As the semester has progressed, I have added to my PLN. There are many blogs that I visit that help give me ideas. C4T made a huge contribution to the teachers' blogs that I visit. I now feel like I have more teachers that I can reach out to. Along with that, I have discovered different resources I can use. Social networks are a great way to expand your PLN. Through the use of Facebook and Twitter one can connect with other educators and share new ideas with one another. Youtube is also a great resource to include in a PLN.
At the beginning of the semester my PLN was not well developed. I only had a few teachers and resources that I could reach out to. As the semester has progressed, I have added to my PLN. There are many blogs that I visit that help give me ideas. C4T made a huge contribution to the teachers' blogs that I visit. I now feel like I have more teachers that I can reach out to. Along with that, I have discovered different resources I can use. Social networks are a great way to expand your PLN. Through the use of Facebook and Twitter one can connect with other educators and share new ideas with one another. Youtube is also a great resource to include in a PLN.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
C4K- November
C4K- November
Isaac's O."s Blog
Isaac's blog included a comparison of him and his sister. I just commented on his post and encouraged him to keep blogging. I shared with him that blogging can connect him with others to share his ideas. This blog was very simple, so I just wanted to leave encouragement. Isaac is a younger student and it is apparent that he has just started blogging.
Paige's Blog
I really liked Paige's blog post. It was a review of her accomplishments during her first quarter of middle school. Then she also discussed her goals for next quarter. I think this is a great blog assignment to assign to students. This blog assignment can help students keep track if what they achieve and what they want to achieve. I just encouraged Paige to keep blogging and to keep setting goals.
Isaac's O."s Blog
Isaac's blog included a comparison of him and his sister. I just commented on his post and encouraged him to keep blogging. I shared with him that blogging can connect him with others to share his ideas. This blog was very simple, so I just wanted to leave encouragement. Isaac is a younger student and it is apparent that he has just started blogging.
Paige's Blog
I really liked Paige's blog post. It was a review of her accomplishments during her first quarter of middle school. Then she also discussed her goals for next quarter. I think this is a great blog assignment to assign to students. This blog assignment can help students keep track if what they achieve and what they want to achieve. I just encouraged Paige to keep blogging and to keep setting goals.
Blog Post 14- Teaching Can Be a Profession by Joel Klein
Teaching Can Be a Profession by Joel Klein
Problems:
1. Better academic training for teachers.
2. Change how we reward teachers.
3. Develop a demanding "knowledge-base".
Better Academic Training for Teachers
I agree that teachers should be prepared to teach their course of study when they enter the work field. Teachers need to be prepared to teach students how to "learn" and to prepare students for the future, whether it be the next required course or even the real world. Klein writes that none of our school programs in the United States can be compared to the leading education programs found elsewhere, along with that, Klein includes that teachers should be recruited differently. According to Klein, teachers should be recruited from the top third of prospects. I agree that teachers should be challenged to be a top prospect. If students who planned to become teachers knew that only the top third of the class was going to be hired, then this would push students to strive to become better educators.
Change How we Reward Teachers
Personally, I believe that teachers should not always be rewarded just because they have been teaching for a while. Teachers should be rewarded on their effectiveness and pedagogy skills. I feel that some teachers who have been teaching for a while become slack because they know their teaching position is safe. I do not agree with this. A new teacher comes in, who is actually more effective than most of the other teachers who are considered seniority, but the new teacher gets let go only because he or she is new. Do not get me wrong, I believe seniority does count in some circumstances. I just find it unfair that the teacher who is slacking gets to keep the job, which also negatively affects the students. Teachers should always be up to date. Teachers are all also basically paid the same, when some teachers provide more for students than others. If teachers were rewarded based on their actual performance, I believe it would help motivate teachers and in return students would obtain a better education.
Develop a Demanding "Knowledge-Base"
Klein mainly discusses how teaching should be professionalized and that excellence should drive the profession. Having a demanding "knowledge-base" would benefit both teachers and students. Teachers are not taken seriously like they should be and they do not get the respect they deserve. I believe that if the content teachers are required to teach is improved then it will help teachers gain a better respect when students are successfully learning. Teachers should teach in ways that students have no choice but to learn.
Problems:
1. Better academic training for teachers.
2. Change how we reward teachers.
3. Develop a demanding "knowledge-base". Better Academic Training for Teachers
I agree that teachers should be prepared to teach their course of study when they enter the work field. Teachers need to be prepared to teach students how to "learn" and to prepare students for the future, whether it be the next required course or even the real world. Klein writes that none of our school programs in the United States can be compared to the leading education programs found elsewhere, along with that, Klein includes that teachers should be recruited differently. According to Klein, teachers should be recruited from the top third of prospects. I agree that teachers should be challenged to be a top prospect. If students who planned to become teachers knew that only the top third of the class was going to be hired, then this would push students to strive to become better educators.
Change How we Reward Teachers
Personally, I believe that teachers should not always be rewarded just because they have been teaching for a while. Teachers should be rewarded on their effectiveness and pedagogy skills. I feel that some teachers who have been teaching for a while become slack because they know their teaching position is safe. I do not agree with this. A new teacher comes in, who is actually more effective than most of the other teachers who are considered seniority, but the new teacher gets let go only because he or she is new. Do not get me wrong, I believe seniority does count in some circumstances. I just find it unfair that the teacher who is slacking gets to keep the job, which also negatively affects the students. Teachers should always be up to date. Teachers are all also basically paid the same, when some teachers provide more for students than others. If teachers were rewarded based on their actual performance, I believe it would help motivate teachers and in return students would obtain a better education.
Develop a Demanding "Knowledge-Base"
Klein mainly discusses how teaching should be professionalized and that excellence should drive the profession. Having a demanding "knowledge-base" would benefit both teachers and students. Teachers are not taken seriously like they should be and they do not get the respect they deserve. I believe that if the content teachers are required to teach is improved then it will help teachers gain a better respect when students are successfully learning. Teachers should teach in ways that students have no choice but to learn.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Blog Post 13- What did I leave out?
Blog Post Assignment: This semester we have focused a lot on using technology in the primary classroom setting. Now, please discuss how you will use technology to teach your students in the English and secondary education classrooms.
Watch these videos to help:
21st Century Classroom
Technology in the High School English Classroom
Blog Post- Integrating Technology into the English/Secondary Education Classrooms.
Both of these videos discussed using technology in a high school classroom setting. The first video discusses how technology should be integrated into the 21st Century classroom. Videos, such as YouTube, are discussed as a main resource for students to learn. Being able to pause and replay videos allow for students to learn at their own pace. Students in the video also discuss how technology engages them more in a classroom compared to just using a text book. The way the classroom is set up in the video is all the students have their own laptops. Each students explores the internet to learn new ideas. I believe this setup could work in a high school setting if the students were provided the right guidance for their teacher.
The second video mainly focuses on the English high school classroom. I am an English major, so I found this video to be very useful. The video discusses how the Smartboard can be a main resource in the English classroom. Students can highlight and analyze text using the Smartboard. Another great example of incorporating technology was the use of students making videos. These videos were assignments that allowed students to express, from their own point of view, their understanding of the readings assigned in the classroom.
Watch these videos to help:
21st Century Classroom
Technology in the High School English Classroom
Blog Post- Integrating Technology into the English/Secondary Education Classrooms.
Both of these videos discussed using technology in a high school classroom setting. The first video discusses how technology should be integrated into the 21st Century classroom. Videos, such as YouTube, are discussed as a main resource for students to learn. Being able to pause and replay videos allow for students to learn at their own pace. Students in the video also discuss how technology engages them more in a classroom compared to just using a text book. The way the classroom is set up in the video is all the students have their own laptops. Each students explores the internet to learn new ideas. I believe this setup could work in a high school setting if the students were provided the right guidance for their teacher.
The second video mainly focuses on the English high school classroom. I am an English major, so I found this video to be very useful. The video discusses how the Smartboard can be a main resource in the English classroom. Students can highlight and analyze text using the Smartboard. Another great example of incorporating technology was the use of students making videos. These videos were assignments that allowed students to express, from their own point of view, their understanding of the readings assigned in the classroom.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
C4T Teacher #3 Summary
Teacher's Blog
The teacher's blog that I commented on is Scott Mcleod. Scott Mcleod is a huge supporter and teacher of STEM learning. The first comment I left was on a video that introduced STEM learning. The video was very short but explained well what STEM is. I left a comment saying that the video was a great way to grab a viewer's attention and to introduce viewers to STEM. Before viewing this video, I have never heard of STEM. I learned that STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The second blog post that I commented on compared learning to a carnival. The blog post is titled, "we shouldn't be carnies". Mcleod says that carnivals are fun, but only last a short while. Then he explains that learning tends to be only fun sometimes, when it should be engaging all the time. I commented on his post agreeing with him, but I also expressed that keeping students engaged seems like it will be one of my toughest challenges when I become an educator.
The teacher's blog that I commented on is Scott Mcleod. Scott Mcleod is a huge supporter and teacher of STEM learning. The first comment I left was on a video that introduced STEM learning. The video was very short but explained well what STEM is. I left a comment saying that the video was a great way to grab a viewer's attention and to introduce viewers to STEM. Before viewing this video, I have never heard of STEM. I learned that STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The second blog post that I commented on compared learning to a carnival. The blog post is titled, "we shouldn't be carnies". Mcleod says that carnivals are fun, but only last a short while. Then he explains that learning tends to be only fun sometimes, when it should be engaging all the time. I commented on his post agreeing with him, but I also expressed that keeping students engaged seems like it will be one of my toughest challenges when I become an educator.
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