Blog Assignment #2

Mr. Dancealot
The central message of the video, Mr. Dancealot, is that teaching is an interactive process. Teachers should not lecture alone, they need to get their students involved in the lessons for them to understand. The author proved this throughout the video by having the teacher explain the steps well; however, since the students were not allowed to participate, they were bored. Then at the end of the video, the teacher expected them to know how to perform the dances for the final. Even though the final was open note and open book, the students still had no idea how to do it. I completely agree with the message of this video because when people, not just children, learn how to complete a task, they have to practice doing it themselves before fully understanding the concept.

Teaching in the 21st Century
Teaching in the 21st Century is about using technology to our advantage in the classroom.
I.Teachers becoming obsolete
A. Search Engines
B. Social Media
C. Teach Fact and Content or Skills

II. Use Technology to our advantage
A. Use resources technology offers
B. Teach about technology
C. Entertainment Vs. Engagement

I agree with Roberts idea of teaching in the twenty-first century to an extent. I agree that teachers need to use technology and its resources to their advantage. However, I think we need to teach skills along with facts and content, not just one or the other. Since technology has become so big in our society, many people rely on only technology to get them through the day. People need to get back to speaking and writing properly or else we are going to become a failed society. Although technology is advancing, our generation and society is falling because we rely on technology so much. I can not point fingers in no area because I use technology; however, I do not agree with using technology as the only source to get information and to communicate.

The Networked Student
At first I was a little taken a back by this video, The Networked Student, due to the fact that I thought they were claiming that students do not need teachers anymore. However, after watching more of the video, I realized that the idea of the video is about how teachers need to teach about technology and show their students the right resources to use. Children have a vast of information just a click away, and they need to be taught how to get that information and how to decipher if it is correct information or if it is from a faulty site. Regardless of how any one feels, technology is going to be in schools and a part of the way children learn, so teachers need to take hold of this fact and use it to their benefit.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
The idea of Ms. Davis used in her classroom is that she was not teaching the students herself, she was guiding them and then the students were teaching each other. Ms. Davis called herself a "teacher-prenuer" and I thought that this was a very good idea. I have taken classes were we had to teach certain topics and for the most part I enjoyed doing it. However, there are times when some people do not get into the project and then it gets boring. As long as the students are engaged and participating, I think this is a great way to teach in a future classroom.

Who's Ahead in the Learning Race
I agree with Dr. Strange on how elementary school children are ahead in the learning race due to the fact that children learn faster than adults. At that age, it is a fact that children's brains are like sponges and they absorb everything quickly and easily. However, in late teenagers and early adults, the learning capability drops. I am not saying adults can not learn, but they can not learn as quickly as a child, and this is a scientific fact, not my opinion. I think that it is a good thing that children know so much about technology and now we have to catch up.

Flipping The Classroom
I have never heard of flipping the classroom before; however, I find it to be an interesting idea. I would definitely use it in a future classroom of mine. This way you are not teaching a new topic every day, the students will have prior knowledge when coming into class. I would use this as a way to use that extra time to let students work on projects in class with my help, rather than at home, possibly not understanding the instructions. Flipping the classroom allows students to come prepared if they have any questions. The teacher could send a survey at the end for the students to submit, that way the teacher has knowledge of the students' questions before class.

Blog Assignment #1

Before taking EDM 310, I heard a lot of negative comments. Other students said that the class was not hard but it was a lot of work and very time consuming. My fear for this class is that I am going to get busy one day and forget to do an assignment or miss an activity listed on the check list. Although I fear this class, compared to other classes, I feel like this class is going to be more relevant to today's teaching methods. Other classes can teach us ideas and methods to use in our future classrooms, but I feel as this class will be more useful because of how much of an impact technology has made on the schools, especially living in Baldwin County. I think the most difficult part of this class will be staying on top of the checklist and not accidentally skimming over an assignment. The best way I can address this issue is by staying organized and managing my time efficiently. Also, I am not very technologically advanced for someone my age; therefore I am nervous, yet excited about learning about the new technologies. The best thing for me to do in this situation is to ask questions and explore what technology has to offer in this day and age. I am looking forward to furthering my learning in EDM 310 and wondering what technologies we will be learning about and how they can be used in the classroom.

Practice Blog Post

Who Am I?
       My name is Krystal Taylor and I live in Robertsdale, Alabama. I graduated from Robertsdale High School in December of 2012, after which I attended Faulkner State Community College. After getting my Associate's Degree, I transferred from Faulkner State in the Spring of 2015. I am the youngest of four children in my family, the closest one in age being five years older than me. All of my siblings are married and have children, leaving me with five nieces whom I love dearly. My brother and sister-in-law found out recently that they were expecting their second child; we are all hoping it is a boy. Although I am not married, I do have a long term boyfriend of over four and a half years and I am hoping one day soon, I will not be far behind my siblings.


     I live a very fast paced and busy life style. I am currently working two jobs until the end of the summer. Since October, 2012, I have worked as a student hire at Baldwin EMC, an electric corporation in Baldwin County. Being a student hire means that while I am a full time college student, I work part time during the fall and spring semesters and full time in the summer. I recently picked up my second job as a hostess at Ivey's Fine Dining in Robertsdale. With both of my jobs combined, I work a total of forty-five to fifty hours per week. Something interesting about me is that along with my jobs, I am also the children's pastor at my church, Robertsdale First Assembly of God. Adding on to my hectic summer schedule, I will be taking children from my church to camp and hosting Vacation Bible School.

     After being a children's pastor, I have realized my passion for working with children. I chose to become an educator because I want to be able to teach children the skills and morals they will need when they become adults. I want to be a part of changing the future because the children of today are the adults of tomorrow. I chose to enter the field of education because I want to be "that" teacher that people remember when they are older as the one who pushed them to their limit and made them think outside of the box.

     Being an educator in the 21st century, entails a mixture of skills and knowledge. Being a teacher entails having organization and preparation skills. Being a teacher also requires time management, your own and your students' time. Being a teacher means committing time outside of school hours to prepare for classes. Today, teachers need to have knowledge of not only the material but also new technology to keep the material educational and relevant. Teachers need to be able to use this knowledge and incorporate technology into lessons to keep the children interested. I am looking forward to learning more about the technology in classrooms today and learning how to incorporate them into my future lessons.

Practice Post: About Me Outline
 

1. About Me
   1. Live in Robertsdale
   2. Robertsdale High School
   3. Faulkner Community College transfer – Spring 2015
   4. ¼ siblings in my family
      1. 5 nieces
   5. Boyfriend of 4 ½ years
2. About Me continued
   1. Busy life style
   2. 2 jobs (43 hours/week between the two)
   3. 2 summer classes (usually full time)
   4. Children’s Pastor
      1. Camp and VBS
3. Why I Chose Education
   1. Teaching skills and morals
   2. Help change the future
   3. Want to be “that” teacher a child never forgets (make them think outside the box)

4. Educator’s Work Entails – 21^st Century
   1. Organization and preparation
   2. Training and Management (Time and Classroom)
   3. Knowledge of Material
   4. Knowledge of Technology to be relevant