This week we were to create an assignment for a Blog Post for our area of specialty. I plan on being a special education teacher, so this blog assignment will be about learning to not limit students with special needs in an inclusive classroom.
Blog assignment:
Watch the following video. What can you learn from Megan Bomgaars as a future educator?
Video:
My Blog Post reply:
I have learned so much from Megan Bomgaars. Megan has down syndrome, but that does not stop her from anything! She was the first cheerleader with down syndrome in her state, she was a fashion model for Global Down Syndrome Foundation’s fashion show, she worked at the Mile High Down Syndrome Association, and now she is at a Bridge Program learning to be a public speaker. She sends the message loud and clear not to limit her! Don’t limit her by thinking she cannot learn in your classroom. Don’t limit her by thinking she will always need someone to help her. She said that she has the same needs as everyone else. Everyone needs life and work skills, and she is not an exception! She also said that she needs to learn and work independently and speak up for herself, not have someone do everything for her.
I have learned several things from Megan. I have learned that just because a child has special needs, does not mean they need help with every little thing. I have learned that every student needs to be held to the same standards in the classroom. I have also learned the difference between high expectations and impossible expectations. Don’t limit any child in your classroom, disability or not. Megan said it best when she said, “Good teachers teach and learn with their students.” This video is very powerful and every educator should take five minutes and watch it!
Sunday, November 24, 2013
C4T #4
Remember This…
For this C4T I was assigned to Will Richardson at his blog, Read. Write. Connect. Learn. Richardson is a parent, educator, speaker, author, 12-year blogger. He is trying to answer the question, “What happens to schools and classrooms and learning in a 2.0 world?" In his blog post Remember This…, Richard tells how students are not remembering what they learn because they were forced to learn it. Richardson said “Social, voluntary learning is more powerful than institutional learning,” and now the potentials for social, voluntary learning have expanded, thanks to the Web. He says that we need to figure out a way to make the students become motivated learners. He finally asked, “How are we helping kids develop into the powerful, connected learners they need to be, to solve any problem and create meaningful, beautiful, important work that lives in the world and changes the world for the better?” he said the hint was: not worksheets.
My reply:
Hello! My name is Linda Check and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in EDM310. EDM is an educational media class that shows us how to use technology to enhance our classrooms. I have learned more in this class than I have with any other class, because it lets us practice our tools we learn. Usually, I am just taking notes and never putting what I learn to use, but that is not the case here. When you said the answer is not worksheets, you hit the nail on the head. Teaching about subjects that hits close to home with the students, and letting them interact with others is an awesome way for students to become connected learners.
The Limitations of the iPad
This week on Will Richardson’s blog, Read. Write. Connect. Learn, I read a blog post called, The Limitations of the iPad. In this blog post he tells us how some people think the limitations of iPads are numerous. Richardson shows use a quote from a man named Justin Reich, who says, “If you believe that learning to code is a vital skill for young people, then the iPad is not the device for you. The block programming languages basically don’t work. There is no Terminal or Putty or iPython Notebook. To teach kids to code, they need a real computer.” Richardson says for most, the iPad is about earning style points with the parents and lighting up students backpacks. He says that it frustrating because the people who invest money into the iPads are unwilling to invest time in the technologies they expect their students to use. This then sets a low bar for the use of the iPads in the first place.
My reply:
It is very unfortunate that schools spend so much money on technologies that they do not care to spend time learning about. I have spent this last semester in a classroom observing a teacher who has three iPads in her class. She told me when they first received the iPads, they had a class they went to, to learn how to work the iPads. She said that everything she uses on the iPad, she has discovered herself by spending her personal time researching different tools to enhance learning in the classroom. The limitations are still many, but if a person is willing to spend extra time learning about technologies they expect the students to use, then maybe it won’t be just lighting up the student’s backpack.
For this C4T I was assigned to Will Richardson at his blog, Read. Write. Connect. Learn. Richardson is a parent, educator, speaker, author, 12-year blogger. He is trying to answer the question, “What happens to schools and classrooms and learning in a 2.0 world?" In his blog post Remember This…, Richard tells how students are not remembering what they learn because they were forced to learn it. Richardson said “Social, voluntary learning is more powerful than institutional learning,” and now the potentials for social, voluntary learning have expanded, thanks to the Web. He says that we need to figure out a way to make the students become motivated learners. He finally asked, “How are we helping kids develop into the powerful, connected learners they need to be, to solve any problem and create meaningful, beautiful, important work that lives in the world and changes the world for the better?” he said the hint was: not worksheets.
My reply:
Hello! My name is Linda Check and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in EDM310. EDM is an educational media class that shows us how to use technology to enhance our classrooms. I have learned more in this class than I have with any other class, because it lets us practice our tools we learn. Usually, I am just taking notes and never putting what I learn to use, but that is not the case here. When you said the answer is not worksheets, you hit the nail on the head. Teaching about subjects that hits close to home with the students, and letting them interact with others is an awesome way for students to become connected learners.
The Limitations of the iPad
This week on Will Richardson’s blog, Read. Write. Connect. Learn, I read a blog post called, The Limitations of the iPad. In this blog post he tells us how some people think the limitations of iPads are numerous. Richardson shows use a quote from a man named Justin Reich, who says, “If you believe that learning to code is a vital skill for young people, then the iPad is not the device for you. The block programming languages basically don’t work. There is no Terminal or Putty or iPython Notebook. To teach kids to code, they need a real computer.” Richardson says for most, the iPad is about earning style points with the parents and lighting up students backpacks. He says that it frustrating because the people who invest money into the iPads are unwilling to invest time in the technologies they expect their students to use. This then sets a low bar for the use of the iPads in the first place.
My reply:
It is very unfortunate that schools spend so much money on technologies that they do not care to spend time learning about. I have spent this last semester in a classroom observing a teacher who has three iPads in her class. She told me when they first received the iPads, they had a class they went to, to learn how to work the iPads. She said that everything she uses on the iPad, she has discovered herself by spending her personal time researching different tools to enhance learning in the classroom. The limitations are still many, but if a person is willing to spend extra time learning about technologies they expect the students to use, then maybe it won’t be just lighting up the student’s backpack.
Project #2- Final PLN Summary
My PLN, personal learning network, has come a long way since the beginning of the semester! I admit that I did not use my PLN to its full potential at first, but now I use it all the time! It is my homepage, because it literally has everything I need in one spot! I use to add all the websites I used regularly to the “Favorites” tab, but now there is no need! I will definitely use it in my future classroom, as well as in my personal life. Right now I have two main categories, which are personal (pink) and school (turquoise). I am so glad Dr. Strange had us make a PLN! Symbaloo, the PLN I used, is super user friendly and very helpful and convenient!
Sunday, November 17, 2013
C4K Summary for November
C4K #1
This week I was assigned to Dillon M., for my C4K. Dillon said this was a writing assignment to talk about his first day of school. He said he was very nervous to introduce himself to the class. Then, the teacher told them to write and he got very scared when the teacher walked up to him. She was only trying to help, but it still made him nervous. The bell for morning tea rang, and they were going to finish their writing after tea.
My reply:
Hi Dillon! My name is Linda and I am a student at the University of South Alabama is a class called EDM310. I think you did a great job with your writing! I get very nervous when I have to introduce myself too. I just have to remind myself that the teachers are there to help us, not hurt us! I think it was cool that you talked about the morning tea. We do not have that where I am from, but it sounds interesting! Once again, you did an awesome job! Keep up the good work!
C4K #2
This week I was assigned to Mrs. Yollis’s class blog. In the blog post I was assigned to, Our First EdCamp, I learned all about the first EdCamp Mrs. Yollis’s class held. Mrs. Yollis allowed her students to come up with ideas and vote for their favorite EdCamp. They voted to learn about looming, which included drawing, exploring the new World Book Online Encyclopedia, cursive lessons, and exploring shortcuts on a computer. At the end, they had a slam session, which allowed students to tell what they learned during the EdCamp. It was a great success, and they decided to hold an EdCamp every Friday!
My reply:
Dear Mrs. Yollis and Class,
My name is Linda Check and I am a student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I have never heard of an EdCamp, but it seemed like so much fun! I love that the students were able to have a voice and choose what they wanted to learn during the EdCamp. I really liked that if the session was not meeting the student’s needs or was not what they thought it was, they were able to move to a different station. In addition, I thought the idea of a slam, to show what the students had learned, was very cool! I wondered if the students will vote each Friday on different EdCamps? Thank you so much for sharing! I look forward to hearing more about these EdCamps! If possible, please check out my EDM310 Blog!
This week I was assigned to Dillon M., for my C4K. Dillon said this was a writing assignment to talk about his first day of school. He said he was very nervous to introduce himself to the class. Then, the teacher told them to write and he got very scared when the teacher walked up to him. She was only trying to help, but it still made him nervous. The bell for morning tea rang, and they were going to finish their writing after tea.
My reply:
Hi Dillon! My name is Linda and I am a student at the University of South Alabama is a class called EDM310. I think you did a great job with your writing! I get very nervous when I have to introduce myself too. I just have to remind myself that the teachers are there to help us, not hurt us! I think it was cool that you talked about the morning tea. We do not have that where I am from, but it sounds interesting! Once again, you did an awesome job! Keep up the good work!
C4K #2
This week I was assigned to Mrs. Yollis’s class blog. In the blog post I was assigned to, Our First EdCamp, I learned all about the first EdCamp Mrs. Yollis’s class held. Mrs. Yollis allowed her students to come up with ideas and vote for their favorite EdCamp. They voted to learn about looming, which included drawing, exploring the new World Book Online Encyclopedia, cursive lessons, and exploring shortcuts on a computer. At the end, they had a slam session, which allowed students to tell what they learned during the EdCamp. It was a great success, and they decided to hold an EdCamp every Friday!
My reply:
Dear Mrs. Yollis and Class,
My name is Linda Check and I am a student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I have never heard of an EdCamp, but it seemed like so much fun! I love that the students were able to have a voice and choose what they wanted to learn during the EdCamp. I really liked that if the session was not meeting the student’s needs or was not what they thought it was, they were able to move to a different station. In addition, I thought the idea of a slam, to show what the students had learned, was very cool! I wondered if the students will vote each Friday on different EdCamps? Thank you so much for sharing! I look forward to hearing more about these EdCamps! If possible, please check out my EDM310 Blog!
Blog Post 13
To This Day... for the bullied and beautiful
By: Linda Check
The video I watched this week was a poem by Shane Koyczan called, To This Day... for the bullied and beautiful . This video took my breath away. Everyone, especially teachers, should have to watch this magnificent piece. Koyczan talks about how we are told to stand up for ourselves, but how hard that is to do if you do not know who you are. He says that we are expected to define ourselves at an early age, and if we do not, others do. Kids are labeled as freaks, fatties, fags, and as kids are being told what they are, they are asked what they want to be. As kids dream big and say they want to be a writer or wrestler, the teachers they look up to are calling their ideas “stupid” or “unrealistic”. Teachers make students feel that they need to accept the identity others have given to them.
Teachers also tend to ignore bullying and say, “Well, kids can be cruel.” This leads to the making of bullies. Koyczan became what he hated most, a bully. He had to, though, just to survive. The first line of poetry he wrote is very powerful. It is, “I will love myself despite the ease with which I lean toward the opposite.” He says that standing up for yourself does not have to mean embracing violence. I loved this, because I think it is 100% true.
The last thing that Koyczan mentioned was the “sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt you” saying. He said this was completely a lie. Being called names is the most hurtful thing a child can experience. A broken bone will heal, but being bullied will follow someone for the rest of his or her life. People that say names will never hurt them, are lying to themselves.
I have taken away so much from this video. As a future educator, I cannot sit back and let bullying happen. I cannot say “Well, kids will be kids,” because that would be taking an easy way out of doing my actual job. I am especially worried about my students getting bullied in the future, because I want to be a special education teacher. Many typical students have never been around kids with disabilities, so I think I will have to work extra hard to make others understand that everyone is unique and beautiful. Once again, everybody should watch To This Day... for the bullied and beautiful . It is beautiful, moving, and a huge inspiration!
A girl who demanded school- Kekenya Ntaiya
A girl who demanded school
by Meagan Freeman
Kakenya had to start preparing to become the perfect wife at just age 12. She had an arranged marriage. Kakenya woke up at 5am every morning milking cows, sweeping, cooking, and collecting firewood. Kakenya went to school and had a dream of becoming a teacher; she admired them and their lives. Kakenya had a problem: Once she reaches eighth grade she will go through a ceremony to become a woman, which means she will become a wife. Once Kakenya is a wife her dream of being a teacher cannot come true. She needed a plan. Kakenya told her father she would only attend the ceremony if he would let her go back to school. He agreed, but she did not know the circumstances. He made her get a female circumcision during her ceremony.
Kekenya was healed after three weeks and back in High School. This event made her even more determined. She met a “well dressed” man while in high school, he was from the University of Oregon. Keyenya was accepted to Randolph Women's College, she needed support of the village for travel money. The village came together and Kekenya made it to America. As she was in school, Kekenya learned that abuse, female mutilation, and other things she had witnessed in Kenya were illegal. This infuriated her and she had to do something. Kekenya spoke to the village and wanted to give back, and the woman said they wanted a village for girls, to keep them safe. The village donated land, and a school for girls was built. Keyenya began to show before and after pictures of students, once they started school. The girls look so much happier. The girls now how many opportunities. 125 will never be mutilated, 125 girls will not be married at the age of 12, 125 girls are able to achieve their dreams because of the revolution that has been started in their community. “Be the first, because people will follow you. Be bold, stand up, be fearless, be confident”
Overall, this video showed me that all dreams are possible. Kekenya did what no other girls in her village do, she went to college. Kekenya made a huge change. She believed in herself and wonderful things happened. Kekenya knew that going back to school would be going against the grain but she tried anyways, and she succeeded. I am amazed by her strength. She had hardships along the way but they made her stronger. Her determination made her educated about illegal things happening in her village.Through that information, she was able to help. Kekenya is saving hundreds of lives, just because one girl wanted to go to school. Education should never be underestimated.
By: Linda Check
The video I watched this week was a poem by Shane Koyczan called, To This Day... for the bullied and beautiful . This video took my breath away. Everyone, especially teachers, should have to watch this magnificent piece. Koyczan talks about how we are told to stand up for ourselves, but how hard that is to do if you do not know who you are. He says that we are expected to define ourselves at an early age, and if we do not, others do. Kids are labeled as freaks, fatties, fags, and as kids are being told what they are, they are asked what they want to be. As kids dream big and say they want to be a writer or wrestler, the teachers they look up to are calling their ideas “stupid” or “unrealistic”. Teachers make students feel that they need to accept the identity others have given to them.
Teachers also tend to ignore bullying and say, “Well, kids can be cruel.” This leads to the making of bullies. Koyczan became what he hated most, a bully. He had to, though, just to survive. The first line of poetry he wrote is very powerful. It is, “I will love myself despite the ease with which I lean toward the opposite.” He says that standing up for yourself does not have to mean embracing violence. I loved this, because I think it is 100% true.
The last thing that Koyczan mentioned was the “sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt you” saying. He said this was completely a lie. Being called names is the most hurtful thing a child can experience. A broken bone will heal, but being bullied will follow someone for the rest of his or her life. People that say names will never hurt them, are lying to themselves.
I have taken away so much from this video. As a future educator, I cannot sit back and let bullying happen. I cannot say “Well, kids will be kids,” because that would be taking an easy way out of doing my actual job. I am especially worried about my students getting bullied in the future, because I want to be a special education teacher. Many typical students have never been around kids with disabilities, so I think I will have to work extra hard to make others understand that everyone is unique and beautiful. Once again, everybody should watch To This Day... for the bullied and beautiful . It is beautiful, moving, and a huge inspiration!
A girl who demanded school- Kekenya Ntaiya
A girl who demanded school
by Meagan Freeman
Kakenya had to start preparing to become the perfect wife at just age 12. She had an arranged marriage. Kakenya woke up at 5am every morning milking cows, sweeping, cooking, and collecting firewood. Kakenya went to school and had a dream of becoming a teacher; she admired them and their lives. Kakenya had a problem: Once she reaches eighth grade she will go through a ceremony to become a woman, which means she will become a wife. Once Kakenya is a wife her dream of being a teacher cannot come true. She needed a plan. Kakenya told her father she would only attend the ceremony if he would let her go back to school. He agreed, but she did not know the circumstances. He made her get a female circumcision during her ceremony.
Kekenya was healed after three weeks and back in High School. This event made her even more determined. She met a “well dressed” man while in high school, he was from the University of Oregon. Keyenya was accepted to Randolph Women's College, she needed support of the village for travel money. The village came together and Kekenya made it to America. As she was in school, Kekenya learned that abuse, female mutilation, and other things she had witnessed in Kenya were illegal. This infuriated her and she had to do something. Kekenya spoke to the village and wanted to give back, and the woman said they wanted a village for girls, to keep them safe. The village donated land, and a school for girls was built. Keyenya began to show before and after pictures of students, once they started school. The girls look so much happier. The girls now how many opportunities. 125 will never be mutilated, 125 girls will not be married at the age of 12, 125 girls are able to achieve their dreams because of the revolution that has been started in their community. “Be the first, because people will follow you. Be bold, stand up, be fearless, be confident”
Overall, this video showed me that all dreams are possible. Kekenya did what no other girls in her village do, she went to college. Kekenya made a huge change. She believed in herself and wonderful things happened. Kekenya knew that going back to school would be going against the grain but she tried anyways, and she succeeded. I am amazed by her strength. She had hardships along the way but they made her stronger. Her determination made her educated about illegal things happening in her village.Through that information, she was able to help. Kekenya is saving hundreds of lives, just because one girl wanted to go to school. Education should never be underestimated.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Blog Post 12
How to escape education’s death valley
By Meagan Freeman and Linda Check
The first video we watched this week was How to escape education’s death valley, by Sir Ken Robinson. In some parts of the country, 60% of kids drop out of high school. He said if we cut this number in half, it would create a new gain for the US economy over 10 years of almost $1 trillion. Ken Robinson says that this number is only the tip on an iceberg. The number only counts the children who are actually dropping out. What about the children who are in school, but are disengaged and are not learning? He says there three principles on which human life flourishes. They are contradictory by the culture of education on which teachers have to labor and students endure. The first is that humans are naturally different endeavors. He goes on to talk about how everyone is different, yet education is based on conformity. Schools find out what kids can do across a narrow spectrum. Real education should give equal exposure to math, art, physical education, reading; etc.
Ken speaks about the overdiagnosis of ADD. He says they are not suffering from ADD, they are suffering from childhood. If you sit children down hour after hour, do not be surprised if they start to fidget. The second principle that drives human life is curiosity. It drives students to learn. It is the “engine of achievement”. Teaching is a creative profession. Great teachers mentor, provoke, engage, stimulate. If there is to learning, there is no teaching. This brings him to testing. A problem is that there is a big focus on testing. Yes tests are important, but standardized tests have a place: they should be diagnostic.
The third principle is human life is inherently created. Ken Robinson states that we each create own own life though imagining outcomes. This is why we are all so diverse. He questions. what role of education gives us these powers of creativity? Our culture is a culture of standardization. He says Finland comes number 1 in math science and reading. They do not have standardized testing, and they have a broad approach to education. Finland has no dropout rate. Any time a student is struggling, the support is amazing. Ken Robinson admits you cannot compare Finland to America, but you can compare it to a state in America. The big difference in FInland is that their education is engaging, individualized, and they receive constant support. The teachers and students are the only ones who can education successful.
My group believes that Ken Robinson brings a powerful message to education. We were astonished to see that the dropout rate is 60% in some parts of the country. After Ken spoke that number not counting students who are disengaged in school, it opened our eyes even more. We spoke about how school curriculum, and how we agree it is a conformed system. Every child is different, and they is why we also think all subjects should have equal exposure. We definitely think students and teachers would become more engaged but doing this.
When Ken spoke about the overdiagnosis of ADD it really grabbed our attention. We both think that children are ADD, but children are being medicated who do not need to be. We agree with all that Ken said about that subject.
Teaching and creativity should definitely go hand in hand. With no creativity added to lessons, students will not learn. We both think that it is the teacher's job to embrace that creativity within the student. Teachers should do all they can to help their students succeed. When Ken started to talk about Finland, we were both a little shocked. How is there no dropout rate?! The educators must be amazing.
The Importance of Creativity
By Meagan Freeman and Linda Check
The second video we watched by Sir Ken Robinson was called, Ken Robinson: How schools kill creativity. In this video Robinson talks about how schools are, literally, killing kids creativity and leaving them with what the school system dictates is important, math and language. He says that creativity is as important as literacy, and after this video, we agree. Robinson defined creativity as the process of having original ideas that have value. He talked about how children are not afraid to be wrong. They take chances and sometimes come up with a piece of work, more extraordinary than any other, because of their mistake. As they grow older, however, they become scared of making any sort of mistake. We have stigmatized mistakes as the worst things people can make, but if you are not prepared to make a mistake, you will never come up with anything original.
The story that Robinson told, that made us think the most, was a child could not stop fidgeting around, so the teachers told her parents that they thought she had a learning disability. After taking her to a specialist, the doctor questioned the mother, and then the mother and doctor left the room, after turning on a radio. When the door was shut, the child immediately got up and started to dance. The doctor turned to the mother and said, “Your child does not have a learning disability, she is a dancer!” The parents took the girl to a dance studio, and she ended up becoming a millionaire that choreographed “Cats” and “Phantom of the Opera”.
The story was so eye opening, because if it were any other doctor, he would have given the child medication and told her to calm down. Her talent would have been buried, and unfortunately that is the case is much of today’s society. We learned several things from Sir Ken Robinson. We learned to never doubt a child’s creative ability; the quiet, solitary child may be the future Picasso. We learned that if a child is fidgety, they might be the next star dancer of their time. Finally, we learned to never criticize a child’s mistake, that mistake might have been made on purpose, or it might just change your thinking on what is “right”.
We think Sir Ken Robinson said it best when he said, "We are educating people out of their creativity." As future educators, we need to put an end the stigmatisms of what subjects we think are the only important ones, and give our students the opportunity of flourish in all areas.
By Meagan Freeman and Linda Check
The first video we watched this week was How to escape education’s death valley, by Sir Ken Robinson. In some parts of the country, 60% of kids drop out of high school. He said if we cut this number in half, it would create a new gain for the US economy over 10 years of almost $1 trillion. Ken Robinson says that this number is only the tip on an iceberg. The number only counts the children who are actually dropping out. What about the children who are in school, but are disengaged and are not learning? He says there three principles on which human life flourishes. They are contradictory by the culture of education on which teachers have to labor and students endure. The first is that humans are naturally different endeavors. He goes on to talk about how everyone is different, yet education is based on conformity. Schools find out what kids can do across a narrow spectrum. Real education should give equal exposure to math, art, physical education, reading; etc.
Ken speaks about the overdiagnosis of ADD. He says they are not suffering from ADD, they are suffering from childhood. If you sit children down hour after hour, do not be surprised if they start to fidget. The second principle that drives human life is curiosity. It drives students to learn. It is the “engine of achievement”. Teaching is a creative profession. Great teachers mentor, provoke, engage, stimulate. If there is to learning, there is no teaching. This brings him to testing. A problem is that there is a big focus on testing. Yes tests are important, but standardized tests have a place: they should be diagnostic.
The third principle is human life is inherently created. Ken Robinson states that we each create own own life though imagining outcomes. This is why we are all so diverse. He questions. what role of education gives us these powers of creativity? Our culture is a culture of standardization. He says Finland comes number 1 in math science and reading. They do not have standardized testing, and they have a broad approach to education. Finland has no dropout rate. Any time a student is struggling, the support is amazing. Ken Robinson admits you cannot compare Finland to America, but you can compare it to a state in America. The big difference in FInland is that their education is engaging, individualized, and they receive constant support. The teachers and students are the only ones who can education successful.
My group believes that Ken Robinson brings a powerful message to education. We were astonished to see that the dropout rate is 60% in some parts of the country. After Ken spoke that number not counting students who are disengaged in school, it opened our eyes even more. We spoke about how school curriculum, and how we agree it is a conformed system. Every child is different, and they is why we also think all subjects should have equal exposure. We definitely think students and teachers would become more engaged but doing this.
When Ken spoke about the overdiagnosis of ADD it really grabbed our attention. We both think that children are ADD, but children are being medicated who do not need to be. We agree with all that Ken said about that subject.
Teaching and creativity should definitely go hand in hand. With no creativity added to lessons, students will not learn. We both think that it is the teacher's job to embrace that creativity within the student. Teachers should do all they can to help their students succeed. When Ken started to talk about Finland, we were both a little shocked. How is there no dropout rate?! The educators must be amazing.
The Importance of Creativity
By Meagan Freeman and Linda Check
The second video we watched by Sir Ken Robinson was called, Ken Robinson: How schools kill creativity. In this video Robinson talks about how schools are, literally, killing kids creativity and leaving them with what the school system dictates is important, math and language. He says that creativity is as important as literacy, and after this video, we agree. Robinson defined creativity as the process of having original ideas that have value. He talked about how children are not afraid to be wrong. They take chances and sometimes come up with a piece of work, more extraordinary than any other, because of their mistake. As they grow older, however, they become scared of making any sort of mistake. We have stigmatized mistakes as the worst things people can make, but if you are not prepared to make a mistake, you will never come up with anything original.
The story that Robinson told, that made us think the most, was a child could not stop fidgeting around, so the teachers told her parents that they thought she had a learning disability. After taking her to a specialist, the doctor questioned the mother, and then the mother and doctor left the room, after turning on a radio. When the door was shut, the child immediately got up and started to dance. The doctor turned to the mother and said, “Your child does not have a learning disability, she is a dancer!” The parents took the girl to a dance studio, and she ended up becoming a millionaire that choreographed “Cats” and “Phantom of the Opera”.
The story was so eye opening, because if it were any other doctor, he would have given the child medication and told her to calm down. Her talent would have been buried, and unfortunately that is the case is much of today’s society. We learned several things from Sir Ken Robinson. We learned to never doubt a child’s creative ability; the quiet, solitary child may be the future Picasso. We learned that if a child is fidgety, they might be the next star dancer of their time. Finally, we learned to never criticize a child’s mistake, that mistake might have been made on purpose, or it might just change your thinking on what is “right”.
We think Sir Ken Robinson said it best when he said, "We are educating people out of their creativity." As future educators, we need to put an end the stigmatisms of what subjects we think are the only important ones, and give our students the opportunity of flourish in all areas.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Blog Post 11
Ms. Cassidy said that by allowing her students to blog, it has opened doors and has given the students the chance to meet people all over the world, it has allowed parents to keep track of their child’s writing progress, and gives the students the ability to keep up in the technology driven world. Ms. Cassidy has several techniques she uses in her classroom, but she said it changes from year to year. One of the ideas I could see using in my special education class, would be to use blogging as a rotation in guided reading. She said that she had blogging, spelling activities, and students reading to her all in rotations, and this idea would definitely be one I could implement in my classroom. My students might not all be able to blog themselves, but I would find different accommodations that would allow my students to experience blogging. I would want them to see all the visitors in all the different countries that visit their blog, just like Ms. Cassidy’s class.
I also really liked the way Ms. Cassidy talked about protecting her students on the internet. I would make sure my students only used their first names, but instead of just telling them not to click on different links to games and such, I would have my students use iCurio. Overall, Ms. Cassidy said it best when she said technology is here to stay and we must keep learning. She also made an excellent statement when saying that teachers handicap the students and yourself when not using technology tools available to you. I have taken several ideas from Ms. Cassidy that I plan to use in the future.
C4T #3
C4T #3
Anytime, Anywhere Learning #CE13
For this C4T, I was assigned to the blog BLOGGING ABOUT THE WEB 2.0 CONNECTED CLASSROOM, whose creator is Steven Anderson. Steven Anderson is the Director of Instructional Technology for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in Winston-Salem, NC. He also regularly travels the country talking to schools and districts about the use of Social Media in the classroom.
The first blog post I read was Anytime, Anywhere Learning #CE13. In this post, Anderson talked about how October marks Connected Educator Month. He said the main idea of CEM is to help educators look beyond the wall of the classroom and look to the brilliance of others to learn from and learn with. He gives a list of several learning conferences going on and says these events are great, because anyone can take part from anywhere as long as you have a connection. He also says that face-to-face is very important, therefore gives names to a few educational camps that are happening all across the US.
My reply:
Hello! My name is Linda Check and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in EDM310. I never knew that October was Connected Educator Month! I also did not know that there were educational camps that teachers could go to. I love the idea of looking beyond the walls of the classroom and learning from and with others. I have learned that I learn better face-to-face, so I will have to look into a camp for the future! Thank you for sharing!
The World Innovation Summit On Education-#WISE13
In this blog post, The World Innovation Summit On Education-#WISE13, Anderson talks about the WISE Summit in Doha, Qatar, which he is going to. He said that the at the WISE Summit people from over 100 countries are gathered to talk about what is working in education, examine current trends and discuss how countries can work better together, to provide kids everywhere a solid education. Just because this convention is in Doha, does not mean that you have to be to participate, though. Anderson said that people from all over the world will be able to voice their opinion and watch the conference on a live stream. He also gives the Twitter account and the hashtags to use, in order to make your voice heard! If you are still wondering what the WISE Summit is, here is a short video for you.
My reply:
Hello! My name is Linda Check and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in EDM310. I have never heard of WISE, but it is definitely very interesting. I think it is amazing how you do not need to be in Doha to participate and learn in WISE. I love the idea of educators from all around the world gathering and bringing ideas to the table. The WISE initiative is something I will be looking into further. Thank you for sharing!
Anytime, Anywhere Learning #CE13
For this C4T, I was assigned to the blog BLOGGING ABOUT THE WEB 2.0 CONNECTED CLASSROOM, whose creator is Steven Anderson. Steven Anderson is the Director of Instructional Technology for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in Winston-Salem, NC. He also regularly travels the country talking to schools and districts about the use of Social Media in the classroom.
The first blog post I read was Anytime, Anywhere Learning #CE13. In this post, Anderson talked about how October marks Connected Educator Month. He said the main idea of CEM is to help educators look beyond the wall of the classroom and look to the brilliance of others to learn from and learn with. He gives a list of several learning conferences going on and says these events are great, because anyone can take part from anywhere as long as you have a connection. He also says that face-to-face is very important, therefore gives names to a few educational camps that are happening all across the US.
My reply:
Hello! My name is Linda Check and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in EDM310. I never knew that October was Connected Educator Month! I also did not know that there were educational camps that teachers could go to. I love the idea of looking beyond the walls of the classroom and learning from and with others. I have learned that I learn better face-to-face, so I will have to look into a camp for the future! Thank you for sharing!
The World Innovation Summit On Education-#WISE13
In this blog post, The World Innovation Summit On Education-#WISE13, Anderson talks about the WISE Summit in Doha, Qatar, which he is going to. He said that the at the WISE Summit people from over 100 countries are gathered to talk about what is working in education, examine current trends and discuss how countries can work better together, to provide kids everywhere a solid education. Just because this convention is in Doha, does not mean that you have to be to participate, though. Anderson said that people from all over the world will be able to voice their opinion and watch the conference on a live stream. He also gives the Twitter account and the hashtags to use, in order to make your voice heard! If you are still wondering what the WISE Summit is, here is a short video for you.
My reply:
Hello! My name is Linda Check and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in EDM310. I have never heard of WISE, but it is definitely very interesting. I think it is amazing how you do not need to be in Doha to participate and learn in WISE. I love the idea of educators from all around the world gathering and bringing ideas to the table. The WISE initiative is something I will be looking into further. Thank you for sharing!
C4K Summary for October
C4K #1
read read read read
This week I was assigned to Brendan in Mrs. Eppele’s class. Brendan wrote about a book they were reading in class. The book is about a girl named Meledey who has a dog to help her. He wrote that the mom and dad are busy with all the other people in the house, so it is good that Meledey has the dog to help and play with her. He felt bad for the goldfish, Ollie. Brendan said he really liked the book and gave it almost five stars!
My reply:
Hi Brendan! My name is Linda Check and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in a class called EDM310. It is very nice to meet you! I have never read this book, that your class is currently reading, but it sounds like a great book! I work with children with special needs and, have seen some children who have service dogs. You are right, though, they are a big help to the parents! You did great with this post! Keep up the awesome job!
C4K #2
Preparing To Garden
This week I was assigned to Tyler in a 7th grade Life Science class. He wrote about how he and his two partners, Hannah and Dustin are preparing to garden. Tyler said he was planning to plant strawberries, Hannah was going to plant marigolds, and Dustin was thinking about hybrid tomatoes. The whole class learned about the dos and don’ts or gardening and the garden teacher has already prepared a garden bed for the class. Tyler said when the strawberries become ripe, he will share them with his garden-mates!
My reply:
Hey Tyler! My name is Linda Check and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in a class called EDM310! I think it is awesome that your class gets to plant a garden! I have never had a “green thumb,” but I have always loved looking at gardens! Strawberries are my favorite fruit, so I love that you picked those to grow! I also did not know that marigolds kept bugs away, very interesting! You did an awesome job with this blog post! Keep up the good work!
C4K #3
INTERVIEW MY PARENTS
This week I was assigned a student in Mr.So`s Grade Twos class, named pransqarpants. I learned that they have a mom, dad, and older brother. They said they liked lights and the brother liked music a lot! I also learned that their parents met, gave each other rings, and then moved to Brampton.
My reply:
Hello! My name is Linda Check and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in a class called EDM310! It was very interesting to learn about you family! I have a younger brother, not an older one like you, but I bet having an older brother is fun! It is cool that you like lights, too! Your parents giving each other rings is awesome! You did a great job and keep up the good work!
C4K #4
Baseball
This week I was assigned to Matthew in Mrs. Geldes class. Mathew wrote about baseball and the man who created it. He first asked if you had ever played baseball. He then said that Abner Doubleday created baseball in the summer of 1889.
My reply:
Hi Matthew!
My name is Linda and I am a student at the University of South Alabama! I have never played baseball or softball, but my little brother use to! I enjoyed watching the game and cheering for the team! I bet Abner Doubleday would be amazed at how much baseball has changed over the years! Great post, and keep up the good work!
read read read read
This week I was assigned to Brendan in Mrs. Eppele’s class. Brendan wrote about a book they were reading in class. The book is about a girl named Meledey who has a dog to help her. He wrote that the mom and dad are busy with all the other people in the house, so it is good that Meledey has the dog to help and play with her. He felt bad for the goldfish, Ollie. Brendan said he really liked the book and gave it almost five stars!
My reply:
Hi Brendan! My name is Linda Check and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in a class called EDM310. It is very nice to meet you! I have never read this book, that your class is currently reading, but it sounds like a great book! I work with children with special needs and, have seen some children who have service dogs. You are right, though, they are a big help to the parents! You did great with this post! Keep up the awesome job!
C4K #2
Preparing To Garden
This week I was assigned to Tyler in a 7th grade Life Science class. He wrote about how he and his two partners, Hannah and Dustin are preparing to garden. Tyler said he was planning to plant strawberries, Hannah was going to plant marigolds, and Dustin was thinking about hybrid tomatoes. The whole class learned about the dos and don’ts or gardening and the garden teacher has already prepared a garden bed for the class. Tyler said when the strawberries become ripe, he will share them with his garden-mates!
My reply:
Hey Tyler! My name is Linda Check and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in a class called EDM310! I think it is awesome that your class gets to plant a garden! I have never had a “green thumb,” but I have always loved looking at gardens! Strawberries are my favorite fruit, so I love that you picked those to grow! I also did not know that marigolds kept bugs away, very interesting! You did an awesome job with this blog post! Keep up the good work!
C4K #3
INTERVIEW MY PARENTS
This week I was assigned a student in Mr.So`s Grade Twos class, named pransqarpants. I learned that they have a mom, dad, and older brother. They said they liked lights and the brother liked music a lot! I also learned that their parents met, gave each other rings, and then moved to Brampton.
My reply:
Hello! My name is Linda Check and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in a class called EDM310! It was very interesting to learn about you family! I have a younger brother, not an older one like you, but I bet having an older brother is fun! It is cool that you like lights, too! Your parents giving each other rings is awesome! You did a great job and keep up the good work!
C4K #4
Baseball
This week I was assigned to Matthew in Mrs. Geldes class. Mathew wrote about baseball and the man who created it. He first asked if you had ever played baseball. He then said that Abner Doubleday created baseball in the summer of 1889.
My reply:
Hi Matthew!
My name is Linda and I am a student at the University of South Alabama! I have never played baseball or softball, but my little brother use to! I enjoyed watching the game and cheering for the team! I bet Abner Doubleday would be amazed at how much baseball has changed over the years! Great post, and keep up the good work!
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