Blog Assignment #16

My Final Reflection of EDM 310       

Technology and Teaching: My Philosophy

Technology is a necessary tool in today's classroom.  Children are learning about technology at such an early age, teachers must embrace the use of technology if they are going to keep their students engaged.  Technology also helps teachers become better teachers.  Through the use of technology, teachers are able to provide more feedback and support to the student at a faster turn around rate.  Teachers can read what the students are writing while they are writing through Google classroom.  A teacher can also make suggestions while the student is writing.  Time spent grading can also be cut down through technology.  Now the teacher has more time to give productive feedback to the student.  

Technology will be an important aspect in my Secondary English classroom.  I will allow my students the freedom and creativity to produce the best work they can do.

C4K April

This month I was able to comment on some extraordinary kids.

Will used his favorite type of food in a descriptive blog post.  His description was done so well, I felt like I was sitting in that restaurant as well.

Jinlay also used descriptive language.  Jinlay wrote a poem about her favorite place, the beach.  She was able to write a beautiful poem describing her favorite spot beautifully.

Laurin had the most wonderful advice for other students... Just be yourself.  Don't try to fit in, just be yourself.

Will wrote about his idea for a business.  He is going to merge a hospital and a five star hotel and restaurant.  All his patients will be treated to steak or lobster dinners, a pool, and the best care.  I definitely want to stay there if I had to have surgery.

Blog Assignment #14

Teaching our children can be a profession:

Teaching should be like any other profession, like law or medicine.  In order to do this several changes would have to happen. 

• Pick from the best
• Better academic training
• Recruit from the top percentage of graduates
• New reward system
• Seniority distraction
• Use excellence as a guiding hallmark
• National teaching examinations
• Supervised internship for 1-3 years
• Radical Change
• Teachers establish their own boards to police their profession
• Merit-based career ladders
• Teaching assistants
  

Blog Assignment #5 Part 2

During this semester, I have been able to start my Personal Learning Network or PLN.  I have been able to follow other teachers and learn a lot about being in the classroom.  I have also been able to ask questions when I am having difficulty with a certain objective through my PLN.  I hope to extend my PLN throughout my student and professional career.  I also hope to help my students start their own PLN.  A PLN is another tool to put in your toolbox.

These are the places I have used to start my PLN:

• Twitter
• Symbaloo
• Linkedin
• Delicious

C4T #4

WordPress vs. Blogger

Ms. David is a teacher who decided to change her Blogger account to a WordPress account.  She did this for several reasons:

1. Google Blogger requires writing your own coding
2. Google's Terms of Service requires the blogger to own what they are posting, or to give credit the way we are required to do while in EDM310.
3. Since Google Blogger is a free service, Google can change the tools available on Blogger.  There is also a lack of customer support since the program is free.
4. Ms. David felt it was time to move on.
5. The final reason for the move is because Blogspot blogs are blocked in some schools.  For a teacher, it is important your blog is able to be seen in schools.

Blog Assignment 13

This semester we have learned how technology can make students more involved in the classroom, but what about the teachers?  There are so many tools that can make a teacher's job easier.

Google Classroom- Google classroom allows teacher to construct and organize their lessons.  Teachers can also comment on student's work in real time.  Google classroom has a digital grade book to help keep teachers organized.

Document readers are an important tool for a teacher to have in their classroom.  A document reader allows a teacher to project students actually work for review.

Clickers can be used to evaluate a students progress in the class when used in short daily quizzes.