Blog Post #2

Mr. Dancealot

In the YouTube video "Professor Dancealot" the central message of the clip was that teaching is not about memorizing, it is about teaching your students to be learners. Professor Dancealot shows an example of how important it is for students to be involved in their work for them to be able to learn. In the end of the video, Professor Dancealot expects for his students to know how to dance without having involvement in his class. I do not agree with professor Dancealot's method of teaching. I believe that you must have your students participate in lessons and practice their learnings. You must give your students an opportunity to learn for themselves or they will not fully understand.

Teaching in the 21st century

1: Teachers are no longer the main source of knowledge
A: Facebook, Twitter
B: YouTube
C: Google
2: Students can ask any question on the internet
A: Teachers should teach them to do it properly
3: There are more opportunities for students to do work online
A: Blogging
B: Podcasting
C: Programming
4: Teachers must engage their students in learning
A: Challenge your students
B: Make them want to learn

In the video "teaching in the 21st century" Kevin Roberts shares what he believes to be teaching in the 21st century. Roberts believes that teaching in the 21st century is all about technology. Teachers must be prepared to engage their students in active learning on the internet and teach their students how to properly use websites. I mostly agree with Roberts idea. Technology is becoming very important in schools and all teachers should educate themselves on the new technology. The slight disagreement that I have with Roberts's idea is that he believes teaching in the 21st century is all about technology and technology alone. I do not think that classrooms should be entirely internet based. Pencil and paper are still very useful in schools. If Roberts is correct about his idea, it will affect me as an educator. I will need to better prepare myself for my future students.

The Networked Student

During the YouTube video "Networked Student" I began to better understand how important it is to be involved, depend on yourself, and learn how to use your resources. The video opened my eyes to all the possibilities you have when you're involved with your school work online. Being dependent on yourself and not your teacher was also a point I observed in the film. My reaction to this video was realization. I realized how important EDM310 will be for me in my future in school and my future as an educator.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

In the video "Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts" teacher Vicki Davis expresses her thesis that is with paper and pencil, only certain students will succeed. My reaction to her argument is slight disagreement. Davis likes for the classroom to be entirely computer based. From personal experience, not everyone learns better with computers. Davis also stated that, "So many teachers think that 'I need to know everything before I teach it' and that is absolutely the wrong thing to think." I agree that teachers should be learners, but I also believe that as a teacher you must educate yourself to better help your students.

Who's ahead of the learning Race?

In the iMovie "Who's ahead in the learning race" by DR. Strange, undergraduate and graduate students are both pressed to answer the question in the title. In my opinion, elementary students are ahead in the race. Teachers are beginning to use more advanced learning tools to teach children that students who are now undergrad and grad students did not get to experience. I believe that as an undergraduate student I am next in line. Everyday new skills and tools for education are being found and as an undergraduate student I will most likely be taught them in my classes or introduced to them before graduate students.

Flipping the classroom

In the YouTube video "Flipping the classroom" I learned for the first time about what exactly it means to flip a classroom. When you flip your classroom you assign your students to learn the lesson of the day the night before class. I believe that this approach will be very useful to me as a teacher. If I allow my students to begin to think about the lesson the night before it will give me more time with my students to do activities for the lesson and discuss the lesson to make sure that everyone understands.

Blog Post #1

1: What are the things (if any) you have heard about EDM 310?

I have heard many things about EDM 310. One being that EDM 310 will be the hardest class I will ever take. Every time I have mentioned taking the class I have heard a groan and a "good luck!" Although most things I heard were negative, I also had some positive words too. I was told as long as I did what I was supposed to and stayed ahead of the game I would be just fine.

2: What fears (if any) do you have about EDM310?

The three fears I have for EDM 310 are falling behind, peer evaluations, and self evaluations. I am afraid that I will become overwhelmed with school and begin to fall behind. Making a good grade in this class is very important to me. Peer evaluations and self evaluations also worrying me about grading. I am not good at saying that I did well on something. I always feel I could do better. I could end up with a grade I am not happy with because of myself. The same idea goes for peer evaluations. I am afraid my peers will not grade me correctly and cause me to have a grade I am not satisfied with.

3: Compare and contrast EDM310 with other courses you have taken in college or high school.

EDM310 is similar to other college courses that I have taken when it comes to deadlines and assigned meeting times. I feel that EDM310 has more differences than similarities. EDM310 requires us to learn on our own and teach ourselves, unlike other classes I have taken. No paper in or out! I have never taken a class that was paperless. Unlike most teachers, Dr. Strange gives great detailed instructions. I have never had a teacher be so specific with work.

4: What do you think will be the most difficult thing for you in EDM310?

For me, I believe that the workload for the class will be the most difficult thing in EDM310. I go to work and school and fear that the workload may become overwhelming for me.

5: What is the best way for you to address this "most difficult" aspect of EDM310?

I have already began to address this problem. I have scheduled study days and times for myself so that I have plenty of time to do my work. I have also requested off more at work so that I can have more time to focus on school because school comes first.

6: What questions do you still have about EDM310? What ideas do you have about how to address those questions?

Currently, I do not have any questions about EDM310. I do know that if I do find myself having questions, I can email Dr. Strange or go to the class blog.

Practice Blog Post

Outline

1: Who am I?
A: Julie Jones
B: 22
C: Elementary Education Major, Junior at USA

2: Why do I want to be an educator?
A: To teach children how to have fun with learning.
B: To show my students how to have a positive outlook on life.

3: What does an educator do in his or her practice?
A: Teach children necessary skills for life.
B: Teach children to correlate learning with fun.
C: Teach children to explore with their own ideas.

4: What are my passions?
A: Making people happy.
B: Helping Others.
C: Learning about becoming a teacher.
D: Travel.

About Julie Jones

My name is Julie Jones. I am a 22 year old Elementary Education major at South Alabama. For 19 years I lived in Bayou la Batre, Alabama until I moved to Mobile to be closer to the university. I chose to go to the University of South Alabama because it was close enough for me to still be able to spend time with my family while living in Mobile. I am currently engaged to my boyfriend of five years. He is also attending South Alabama where he is seeking a degree in Electrical Engineering.

My fiancé and I love to travel, so currently it is becoming our hobby. We have been to Gatlinburg, TN, Atlanta, GA, Birmingham, AL, Pensacola, Florida, Honolulu, Hawaii, and several other places. So far, my favorite was Hawaii! My brother is in the air force and currently stationed in Honolulu with his wife and two children. Going to Hawaii was an easy choice with family over there. Next, we plan on Mexico!

Why do I want to be in the field of education?

I believe that I can make a difference. I feel confident that I could brighten the futures of young children. I love to bring happiness and joy to people and I believe I will be able to accomplish that as an elementary teacher. To me, being a teacher is about helping students realize their true potentials and helping them to explore their owns ideas and express their creativity. I want to be a teacher. I will be a teacher.

What an educator's work entails in the 21st century.

Being an educator is more than just providing work for students. You are a supporter, a helper, a listener, and many others things. Educators are required to set up the foundations to having necessary life skills. Children need to be taught to correlate learning and fun and how to explore their own creativity. Educators help make students who they are. Life skills, good habits, how to have fun, how to work well in groups, and many other important ideas are taught to students by their teachers.

My passion is traveling and this is a picture from when I traveled to Hawaii. This picture was taken at the USS Arizona at the Pearl Harbor Memorial.

Welcome

Outline

Source: photo by Christopher Nelson

My Test Post Title

This is my first post for EDM 310!I did what I was told and clicked the HTML button. I am now a blogger!