Blog Post #2

What Will Teaching be like in the 21st Century?

Photo source: rebloggy.com

     I believe that the central message of the video is that if your lessons and your testing is not exciting or at least thought provoking, then most of your students will not care enough to pay attention. None of the students look interested in Mr. Dancealot video. Also noting that he never allows the student to practice it before the test. They are being thrown into a final grade that was set up to fail from the beginning. I think the author has a good point that when everything in your class is not set correctly, you can be failing from the start.

     I feel that Roberts thinks teaching is all about helping and applying. Which I do agree with. He sees teaching in the 21st century more like validating and mentoring rather than the only source that the information comes from. This is a very interesting take on teaching. For the longest time I wouldn't have referred to my twitter/facebook/skype accounts as useful tools but rather as distracting toys. The older I get the more I realize how much Roberts is right. These things are tools. Tools that children are learning how to use, at a much faster rate than we are ready for. I believe he wants teachers to know that teaching now, is more like filtering than teaching before. With so many super fast answers, teachers can only help along the way while students master technology.

     As far as the video: The Networked Student, is concerned, I love it. I think that this perfectly ties into the second video and actually answers the question what it means to be a teacher in the 21st century. This video shows how teachers really do so much more than just sit in a classroom. It shows that by being thoroughly involved in the technology world, they can help students learn how to effectively apply technology skills to their school and works.

     In the Davis video, I really enjoyed her way of teaching. Its very different and very collaborative. I think that the message she is trying to get across is that students are better students when they have to also be a teacher. When students are put to the test of coming up with their own ideas, and brainstorming together, they can achieve even more, and I think thats what all of this is about. I think that she wants students to become better, more active students by engaging them in everything. When she says "I dont have to stand at the front of the class and teach, I can walk around and make each lesson plan tailored to their needs..." I thought that was such a cool idea. The fact that she lets them go crazy essentially, by doing their own work but helping each other is a very good one.

      Who's ahead in the learning race? Honestly, the third graders. That is so sad. While doing some of my classroom observations, I noticed how well versed these children are in their ipads. I have an ipad and I don't know how to do half of the things they did on theirs. Sadly, I would say I am behind in the learning race....

     Up until now, I have not heard of "flipping a classroom" but I think it is a good idea. I like that the speaker in the video makes it known how to contact them about it, and makes sure the parents know that this is slow process and eventually more subjects will be flipped but currently they are focusing on one subject at a time. I love the idea of spending 1-2 nights a week preparing for the lessons to be taught the next day. I think it gives the students that need more instruction, time to figure out which issues are the ones they will need the most help with.

    

Great Website for HTML Coding!

   

Photo Credit: Google Images

 Hey everyone,

I found this great website for using HTML codes in blogging and like easy ways to use it and practice it. thought I'd share with ya'll! :)

It really helped me with adding some of those gadgets.

It's called W3schools.com Link here: http://www.w3schools.com/default.asp

Blog Post #1

What About EDM310?

Photo Source: Jennifer Flowers; MemeGenerator

 
What are some of the things you've heard about the class EDM310?

      Initially I had heard that EDM310 was one of the hardest courses I would take throughout my time in the College of Education. Honestly, It's a little nerve racking. I think that people get so worried about doing courses that are around 75% online because it means they will have to do more on their own.  I've heard that a lot of this course is "teach yourself" style but that that is what is necessary for this class. After the first day I felt a little more comfortable knowing that a lot of the course is social media based, and I feel very comfortable in the social media world.

What fears do you have about EDM310?

     Some of my fears for this course, are that I will over-stress the fact that there aren't any physical grades and that everything is self evaluated. I tend to be very hard on myself in school and having no experience in this style course before, I am a little concerned.

Comparing EDM310 to previous courses

       Honestly, I have never had a course like this before. Most teachers get upset if you're caught on your phone in the class and this one almost encourages it! The fact that you communicate with people throughout the world via one small course can have a great impact on your future. I have not ever really been in many"teach yourself" courses. I have had experience with online classes though and I thoroughly enjoyed them, so hopefully this will be the same.

What will be the most difficult thing about EDM310 for me,  personally..?

     I think that the most difficult parts about his class for myself will be, constantly checking the class blog because I can become sidetracked easily. I'm hoping that with my time management becoming better and better that I will enjoy this course and use it throughout the rest of my career as an educator.

What questions do you still have left about EDM310?

      I don't think I have many questions left about EDM310, at this moment. Only because, right now, we are still at the beginning stages and I feel as though we can answer a lot of our own questions just by participating in class and looking at the EDM310 blog.

Practice Blog Post

Photo Credit: Jennifer Flowers

Outline:
1) WHO AM I?

• Asst. Manager at Claire's
• friend
• student
• soon to be educator 

2) WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

• California
• Mississippi
• Alabama

3) WHY DO YOU WISH TO EDUCATE/WHAT ARE YOUR PASSIONS?

• To create good working people
• to help create understanding
• to help people 

4) THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ME

Photo Credit: Google Images

• I'm DISNEY OBSESSED (specifically Frozen, Tangled, Little Mermaid)
• I love my job and Im very passionate about it
• Im obsessed with Elephants, Owls, and Sloths
• I cannot wait to graduate and begin my new chapter of life!

    Hi! My Name is Jennifer Flowers. I am currently in my fourth year at South, but no, unfortunately I'm not a Senior yet....I have lived in the south for most of my life although I was born in California. My father was in the Navy so we traveled quite a bit. Somehow we ended up in Gautier, MS and then Pascagoula, MS which is where my brother came in to the picture. For the longest time I have known that I wanted to help animals and or people. My mom worked for our local zoo for 12 years before leaving for the city and in that time I (we) helped raise more wild animals than I could have ever imagined as a child. At any given time you could come to my house and we may have a baby bear in the living room or a tiger cub. More regularly though was our beloved Capuchin monkey Trey. Who later we would find is actually a female!

    My Junior year of high school, I had intended to move out on my own into the real world and live in Jacksonville, AL. I wanted to be a gamecock. Then when I realized how far living 6 hours away really was, I changed my mind. Then I thought oh TROY! Everyone I knew loved Troy. And so did I. but even then I wasnt ready to move out that far. So then, I tried South Alabama. And this bed was juuuust right, because immediately, I felt like I was home. I knew I wasnt completely away from my parents (because why would I want to be, theyre great) but I also could do my own thing. I loved it. South was great and has continued to grow and feel more like my home. I find myself missing it when I commute and coming back more and more.

   I have always known I wanted to do something to help people or animals. Its always been in my mind that I wanted to teach or be a Marine Biologist. After growing up a little more and learning more about myself I found that all I wanted to do was help people. I wanted to give them the same feeling of growth, and love that my elementary teachers gave to me. I am still Facebook friends with many of them. I loved my teachers. I felt like they made me who I am. I want to make sure that as many children as possible can get that same feeling from me. I want them to feel accomplished, strong willed, and loved. That is my goal in becoming an Elementary Education teacher. I feel as though being a teacher in the 21st century is much harder these days. Attention spans are shorter and childrens minds are becoming weaker. I want to widen their imaginations and develop their minds more! we can ALWAYS do more! Teachers today have to be just as fast paced as their students or the students wont want to keep up with them. I think that being a teacher in todays world means you have to be smart, quick, witty, and funny. Otherwise, some of the students may not get everything they should!

Thanks for reading! :)

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