Project 16

Final Reflection Video

Blog Post #13

Instructions:
Research apps designed to help kids with reading disabilities. Choose 5 and describe what the activity is and how it would benefit a child with disabilities. Give your opinion on it and whether or not you would use it in your classroom.

1. Speak it!: This app is useful because it allows kids to her what is in front of them. They can allow the app to do things such as read text, emails, stories, etc. I find that usual as long as it is not used as a crunch when a child is too lazy to attempt to say the word on their own.
2. Read&Write This allows kids to practice writing their letters and words. A child can also trace letters and hear the sound a letter makes. This seems like a helpful tool to those learning fundamentals of reading and writing. Very useful!
3. Read 2 Me This app provides a library of text that can be read allowed. This will allow the student to hear words they are unfamiliar with and know how to say them.
4. See Read Say This app allows students to become familiar with the most common sight words with fun activities, games, and other ways of practicing.
5. Reading Trainer This app helps kids improve their reading speed and other abilities. This app focuses on practicing and repetition and would be good for the average reader who may be a little weaker than other classmates.

Blog Post #14

Joel Klein's article talks on things that can be improved to provide our children with the best education they could possibly receive.
Problems and solutions:

1. Better teachers: in order to improve teachers we need to pick from the best. The teachers need academic training in order for them to provide the education the students deserve.We need a new way of recruiting teachers that would require us to recruit from the top third of graduate. Lastly, we should reward teachers.
2. Seniority: When layoffs happen, the teacher who has been there\ the least amount of time goes, but that does not rid the school of bad teachers, but rather newer teachers and possible new ways of teaching. The least effective teacher should go, allowing school to flourish and not downgrade. Lower class schools deserve great teachers, too.
3. Lack of Professionalism in teaching: Attract our best students,  developing a demanding "knowledge base" along with a "formal set of … peer relationships." It was even suggested to require an internship that could last up to three years. Given this amount of time, performance can be evaluated.

Joel Klein makes some wonderful points. Being an educator is no longer looked at as highly as a law degree or medical degree. The respect for it has plummeted and because of that, teacher's do not strive to be their best, do their best, or even go above and beyond. I agree to an extend with the ideas proposed to help take the degree back to the professional standing it deserves. Our future rests in the hands of these educators and we should provide nothing but the best of the best for our students. Would you go to a second string doctor who was bottom of his class when you know you could have the top ranked doctor? No. Then why should our future leaders not have the same opportunities?

It is important that we fill our classrooms with the best teachers around. It should not matter how long a teacher has been at a school. A job should not be guaranteed if they are not producing the results that are necessary to create classrooms full of learning. Everyone is replaceable just like everyone deserves a chance to prove they are the better candidate. In order to keep everyone working to their full potential, they need to understand slacking will not be tolerated. Professional positions understand that halfway doing something will not get them by, This is a necessity for acquiring knowledgeable people to fill the role of teachers who lead our future.

It is important to provide our children with the best possible education they can have. This starts off with the role of the teacher. This type of work is not easy and should be taken seriously at all times. In order to guarantee our future get what it needs to succeed, we must provide them with the necessary tools. Most importantly, a well-known and seriously PROFESSIONAL to teach them.

Blog Post #5 Part 2

Add caption

Personal Learning Network
Throughout my EDM 310 experience I have been able to connect with people all over the world through social media, blog posts, comments, and videos. I have established my own PLN as each day goes on in this course. The numerous other resources that have been made available to me through this learning experience have opened my eyes to the different ways in which I can help my students learn more efficiently. This has also allowed a resource to be open in which I can ask for help from other teachers and administrators in order to provide the kids in my class with the greatest learning environment and experiment they could possibly have.

Part B

C4K Summaries

Garrett's Blog:
We are reading Wonder in English right now. Mr. Browne says when given a choice between being right or being kind, be kind. I think that is the right thing to do because when being right you can be rude and you can be right about bad stuff. When someone is having a bad day if your nice to them it can change their whole day. Mr Browne makes very good comments.\
I commented:
 Hey Garrett! My name is Payton and I am an EDM 310 student at the University of South Alabama. 
You seem to have a very positive attitude toward the book. Keep up the good work and good luck with all of your classes!

Dakota's Blog

1.. To Get A Tatoo

2. To have 8 Kids

3. Graduate High school

4. Graduate College  School

5. Open My own restaurant

6. Get my own House

7. Get Married

8. Get Liscense

9.Visit Alaska

10.  Visit John Hanson French Immersion

Imma miss yall so much, I knew hall since kindergarten some of y’all immma miss😰😥😫😩👀👀👂

I commented:

Hey Dakota! 
I think it is super cool that you want to own your own restaurant. What kind of food do you like to cook? I work for a restaurant myself in Alabama and love it. Maybe one day I can have one of my own one day, but we will see. Good luck with all your future goals! Nothing is impossible with hard work and dedication.

Henley's Blog

Jonah thought that everything didn’t seem right he became angry. So Jonah prayed ” Isn’t this what I said, Lord when i was still at home? That is what i tried to forestall by fleeing Tarshish. I knew that you are gracious  and compassionate God, slow  to anger and abounding love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now ,Lord , take  away from my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” The Lord replied saying ” Is it right for you to be angry?”  Then Jonah went into town and made a shelter then the Lord  provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah for protection. Then dawn the next morning God provided a worm which killed the plant. When the sun rose, God provided a hot breeze and the sun beaming on Jonah’s head  so that he grew weak. He didn’t want to live any longer. Then again Jonah said ” It would be better for me to die than to live. Then God asked Jonah ” Is it right for you to be mad at the plant?”  He said ” I am so angry that I wish i were dead.”

God was teaching Jonah to be satisfied with what he already has. If you are blessed with something, be thankful, have a good attitude because it can all be taken away. Jonah responded the way he did because he did get the significance of it all. God was trying to teach Jonah that you have to work for everything. In Jonah 4:11 it says “But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about the great city?” Jonah responded ungratefully  because he didn’t work for it. In my ending of Jonah, Jonah and God work everything out and Jonah realizes that he was just learning to forgive his enemies. Jonah repents and gets forgiveness from God then the story would end.

I commented:

Henley, 
Great job! Forgiveness is such an important quality to have and I’m so happy to see you recognize that. Wonderful post and keep up the great work!

Blog Post 12

C4T #4

Uncomfortable, but Worth It
This post basically talks on what the author learned as a teacher. She explains that to truly teach, one must put their guard down and be willing to learn, to let the students drive, and be allowed to change and develop. The beauty of this article is the inspiration and real life aspect of teaching she displays.
I commented:
As I read more of your posts, I am falling in love with the advice you give. Honestly, I believe this has been the best advice for a future teacher. The fact that even as the main source of knowledge in a classroom, there is still so much to learn. I plan on saving this post for days when I am beating myself up over the small things in my classroom. - See more at: http://venspired.com/uncomfortable-but-worth-it/#comment-106108
Ready? Set, Make!
This is a fun, but short post on what learning truly is. The idea is to go beyond turning the pages of the book and reading what it says. Creativity is key to teaching and learning.
I commented:
Such a simple post, but what a loud statement it makes. Learning is so much more than following the pages of a text book. Quite frankly, I find it kind of boring. I want my students to love to learn. How amazing would it be to enter a classroom full of kids eager to know what they are learning for the day?? I am so excited about being THAT kind of teacher. - See more at: http://venspired.com/ready-set-make/#comment-106110
The Danger of Labels
This post talks about how degrading labeling a child as Autistic, special, etc., can be to a child. When we label a child, we forget to see exactly who they are. Often times, we hide them behind the tshirt they were with the title they flaunt.
I commented:
I must first start off by saying how wonderful of a statement you just made. I was not expecting to be effected by such a read! Having a history with children who are intellectually disabled, I see far too often the effects that labeling can have on them. They are all so beautiful, but most importantly EQUAL to all other children.
This has, by far, been my favorite blog post I have stumbled upon.
Thank you so much.

Post #11

Learning is Messy
Brian Cosby used project based learning in his classroom with some students being second language students. Through technology, he captured the attention of students with science. I found that extremely interesting because science can truly be a tough subject to keep students attention with. His "High Hopes" projects inspires me with his new and inivative ways of teaching, especially with second language learners. I want to be able to make a difference, just like Mr. Cosby.
Blended Learning Cycle
An A&P teacher, Paul Anderson, helps create a nifty way for students to remember what they have learned with helpful acronyms. As I watched this video, I realized how teachers are not just teachers, but rather creators. It is amazing to me how creative one must be in order to successfully teach a lesson, including one that has a few students who are struggling to understand the material. This video also inspired me to push myself in order to think of creative ways to help my future students learn.