Sunday, May 1, 2011

Final Project

Smart Board Ppt

Saturday, April 30, 2011

C4T #4

Dr. Strange assigned me to leave a comment Mrs. Jenny She's Blog. She made a post titled " I am Dreaming of the iPad 2" She Really wants to buy one and likes all of the features. She put of a video about the iPad 2 done by Steve Jobs, he is singing about the iPad 2 and he is waiting for the ipad 3 to come out!!

Watch the video at

Final Report on PL N


I am using Google Reader for my PLN. I am follow posts about technology, podcasts, education, ebooks, blogging, and much more!! I enjoyed reading different stuff about things we do in this class, and what I will one day teach. Google reader is so great for finding information and personal views on any topic you choose.

Special assignment 14- Metaphors

Special Assignment # 14- Metaphors




A metaphor is a comparison of two very different things, yet they are made to seem alike. Metaphors are everywhere, in everyday life. Metaphors can be used for just about anything. I was watching the movie Hop and the Easter Bunny was saying he was a metaphorical sock. I was taking the Praxis Exam the other day and it had a whole section of metaphors on it. Metaphors are used even when you don't realize it. We are so used to them that we don't even catch them in our conversations.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Blog Post 13






This site is amazing! It is so helpful. This is definitely a site that I will be using the rest of my college career and in my future classroom. Teachers, future teachers, or anyone that works for the school can access a bunch of helpful tools to use in the classrooms. I will absolutely be bookmarking this site for present and future references!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Blog post 12

Watch the video below- Technology in Special Education. Write 1 or more paragraphs telling how you think technology has helped in Special Education.



In this video, Lacey Cook teaches in a Special Ed classroom. She tells how technology has helped her students very much, whether its to communicate, read, or help with writing assignments. For instance, I'm sure that Corbin did not like being pulled out of class to sit in the hallway just to have somebody read to him, his iPod now lets him listen to audio books so that he can stay in class. It was very difficult to have Kris point to letters on a chart, but now that he has a laptop he can type and it will talk for him. Sherae does not have difficultly pointing to letter on a chart, but that takes time, it is so much faster to type on a computer. The last guy(does not say his name) has trouble seeing small print and it takes him a long time to write, his laptop helps him finish his assignments in half the time it would take him to write. His computer also has a programs that magnifies what he is reading. Technology provides Special needs students to become more independent in their work, and it also helps keep the classroom more exciting!

Sunday, April 10, 2011

blog post 11

First Graders in Mrs. Cassidy's Class

It is amazing to see first graders doing what some of us are just learning in this class. It is pretty cool to be in first grade and have people from all over the world reading the blog of your work. I love the fact that Mrs. Cassidy basically built her class from scratch. Having a technology based class is so nice, kids being able to interact with their schoolwork through the computer, playing a DS to learn, Skypeing with people from different countries. Wow! I love the fact that parents can see their child's progress online. I will defiantly be using blogging and Wikis in my classroom. I cant believe Mrs. Cassidy is the only one at her school doing this. If I was her co- worker, I would be right up there with her.

Project 14 Teach someone

Sunday, April 3, 2011

blog post 10

An Open Letter to Educators

This blog was made by a new Canadian teacher named Morgan Bayda. In her post, she also has a video made by Dan Brown. Mr. Brown and Mrs. both talk about the Education field is behind in times. I agree that some of it is behind, like some classes still have chalkboards. Others, like Edm 310 is all online and more up to date on technology.
Don't Let Them Take the Pencils Home
Wow, so this blog actually focuses on the solution instead of the problem(this is different!). The problem with lowered test scores may be from kids procrastinating, but we also have to stay creative. Make up a game, play hang man once in a while. Kids are still learning, and having fun at the same time!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

C4T #3

I read a Blog post about Twitter and one about Controversy over grades. The Teacher that posted Twitter had the same view I did, he didnt like it when he heard about it but then he realized that it can be a very good educational tool.
Controversy over Grades talked about how grades are an important progress tracker.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Blog post 9

What Ive Learned this Year- Mr. McClung
Wow, Mr. McClung's blog post was really great. All the advice he wrote about knowing your student, helping them when they fail, being there to pick them up. He said that it is not about you, the teacher, it is about the teacher and students together. And the part about a lesson going completely different than as planned. He said the most important thing is listening to your students; so many teacher don't do that anymore. I really enjoyed reading this blog, it was like it took a load off of my shoulders or something; I now feel so much better about my future career!

C4K summary post(march)

I read a poem about a girl beig insivible, the earthquake in London, and a little boys thoughts on bullying. They were all amazing to read, I cant believe the way kids know so much and have their own thoughts! Its so much different than when I was growing up.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Blog Post 8


This Is How we Dream
Most of the information found in books a few decades ago is now found on the internet. Most books are worthless and are sold for a few cents. All the information online is updated immediately. The News can be found instantly at the tips of our fingers and it is constantly updated.


The Chipper Series
Chipper had so many ideas on what to do to get an education, like having a school but people rarely have to go, but they still get the certification. It would have been so much easier and a lot less drawn out if she had just buckled down and did the EDM310 work.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Comments for Teachers - Summary post #2

I read Mr. Matthew Needman's Blog post, called Higher Level Technology use. He made a Learning Pyramid stating the levels of technology use.

Blog Post 7

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture
This was a very good lecture. During a point of watching it, I actually felt as if I was there. This is a lecture that I would recommend that everyone see. Many kids, and even adultss dont know what they want to do when they grow up. Many of us have no idea as to how to even begin to accomplish there dream.
When he was teaching, he basically had a class that was all about living your dreams. The virtual world that he had his students create was basically a dream world. Mr. Pausch encouraged dreams, he lived them as well as coaching students to do the same.
Randy Pausch's life seemed pretty amazing, he lived many of his dreams. Who else really goes for their dreams, many people think theirs dreams are a long shot. Well, not Randy, he was an imagineer at disney, he played football, he even won many stuffed animals at carnivals, and so much more. When most people are laying on their deathbed, they think of all the stuff that they wish they would have done. Randy had a pretty full life and did get to do many things that he wanted to do, no wonder he is not dwelling in his illness!

Project #10 PLN




I am using Google Reader for my PLN. I Am following Jenifer Silcox's Blog, Anthony Capps, Olivia Bush, and Mr. Bryne from Free Technology for teachers.

Friday, February 25, 2011

c4k Summary Post

I read about a little boy named Owen that went to the Smithsonian Museum and wrote that he saw Kermit the Frog, Abe Lincoln's hat and so much more. I let him know that that sounded so much fun.
I also read a little boy's poem, his name was Daley. He is 4 years old and wrote the most amazing poem about how he saw himself, he compared himself to all these people and things like a T-Rex, Batman, and Superman, and it all cam from his imagination. I could not believe that a 4 year old wrote that poem. I let him know how amazing this was and told him that I was looking forward to reading more of his poems.
A little girl in 4th grade also wrote a poem about having quiet time at her house. I enjoyed reading these poems, it is so amazing that this kind of talent came from Elementary kids!

Blog post 6



The Networked Student
As I was sitting and watching the video, I was thinking that, yes, there is anykind of information online that you will ever need to know. This saves people from having to buy books and pens and pencils, but it also rises the question, why do we need teachers?
Students need teachers incase they have a question, to help them when they get stuck, to guide them on what they should be doing, and many more resons. Computers and phoe apps might help out a lot, but you can't have a human connection wit a computer.



7th Grade PLE
Wow, this is nothing like how it was when I was in 7th grade. This 7th grader's PLE is very much like our PLN in the facts that they get freedom and we get freedom, most of their learning is online, while all of our leaning is online.

Project 9b instructional timeline

Friday, February 18, 2011

Blog Post 5

100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better


It is Amazing how many study tools that can be downloaded to your iPod. Sparknotes is something every student should have, and now its for an iPod or smartphone. There are apps for books, study guides, podcasts. Someone can learn English by downloading ESL, learn Spanish, foreign langauges. Look up topics from science to history. Books are accessible through Audiobooks, the Bible can be downloaded, and much more. Basically anything that is needed for school, can be accessed by iPod.
Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom


Podcasts are becoming the new "thing". A teacher can record their class on a podcast so his or her students can go back and listen to the lecture. Podcasts help teaching and they are a learning experience, as students feel like they are a part of something. They are more hands on, and parents can also access them to see what their child may or may not be doing something.
What I Learned by Making My Podcast
I learned that podcast can by more affective that a powerpoint. They are much easier to do, much shorter. Podcasts can be posted to google to be seen by anyone.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Blog Post 4


Don't Teach your Kids This!
Dr. McLeod has a very good point here. There is bad stuff out there, but are we really going to risk our childrens future because of this stuff? Parents should learn how to use blocks, and talk to your children about the bad stuff. Teach them what to do and not to do. Parents have to teach their children about technology, because that is what everything will be in the future.
Who is Scott McLeod?
Scott McLeod, J.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Educational Administration program at Iowa State University. He has received numerous national awards for his technology leadership work, including recognitions from the cable industry, Phi Delta Kappa, and the National School Boards Association. In Spring 2011 he will be a Visiting Canterbury Fellow at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.

The ischool Initiative
The ischool can be viewed either way, there are good things about it, but also bad. The ischool will get rid of the use of paper, books, calculators, and all the other expensive school materials. I agree that it is a good idea, especially since it is blocked from everything that is non educational, this leaves no distractions. It would save a lot of money, and they would not be that hard to use. Parents should like the idea of being able to get on a cell phone and track the progress of their child. Face it, money is extremely tight right now with no hope of it getting better anytime soon, so this does seem like the best option. On the other hand, how much time would it take to educate every student and teacher about this?
This ischool can reduce the excuses that homework was lost or teachers all time favorite, they lost it. There would be no more, "I don't know what to do." If someone didnt understand, they could just jump right on and email the teacher and notes or the lecture or assignment could be sent in a blink of an eye.



wow! In the beginning of this video I was thinking, "Wow, this is what our world is coming to."
This is what is becomming the normal. Employers do think that work should come before everything else and most people are getting a divorce these days. In the video, it says "unless" we change our habits". Well, what is stopping that? Is it that we are just too lazy, too busy, or do we just not care? One day we are going to wake up into this nightmare, and there is not going to be a thing that can reverse it.


Virtual Choir
This Choir is amazing, all these people singing together, but in so many different places. This amazes me. It had to have taken much work to all practice together using webcam. None of these people even know each other, and yet they can all come together from all over the world, just by sitting at their computer.


Teaching in the 21st Century
What does it mean to teach in the 21st century? Referring to the video, yes students have unlimited information about anything on the internet. What good does it do to have information if they don't know what to do with it. You are not born knowing what plagiarism is, you are not born knowing how to read for key details, or how to write a paper. We learn all this from teachers, people who have been where we are today. Doctors don't just wake up one morning and say they want to be a doctor, they have to go through years of school, taught by, yes teachers.
Even though our world is changing and computers have all the things that a library has, people still have to learn how to use them and how to look up, paraphrase, and write a paper.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Project 5- Google Presentation

C4T 1




I went to 21 apples blog and I watched a video titled "How Can Computers be a Sixth Sense for People?"
 A man is talking about the different uses that he came up wit to incorape computers into helping us mentally,
He took apart two mice for a computer and used its censors to make a mechanical hand.  He made it to where when someone writes on a sticky note, it shows up on the computer.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

blog post #3


A Vision of Students Today

 Wow so Students really do need more hours in a day.  It is very true that we spend tons of money on books and do not even use them half of the time.  We have to take classes that we do not even need
, like drama, why do you need that class unless you are drama major?  Students do really spend most of their time in way too long class where half the teachers do not know their students names, or care, for that matter.  Students that have full time jobs on top of school never get any sleep because by the time they get home from work, they have an enormous pile of homework.
       That is why  people are so lucky to go to USA, where the class are not huge and the teachers know their students, and try to help( well most of them).




                                                                    It's Not about Technology
             It really isn't about the technology.  Students do learn through technology, but for that to happen, teachers need to be able to use technology.  Teachers have to be willing to learn how to use technology to be able to better the lives of their students.  Teaching is not the same as learning.  Anyone can stand in front of a class and talk, but learning involves comminution between stdents and teachers.
        I cannot stand the teachers who think just because a student needs help, it means they were not paying attention, therfore refusing to help the student.  Like Dr. Strange, he did everything that he could to help me when I was having major blog problems.
                                        
                                                        Is it Okay for a Teacher to be technologically Illirate
I think that is is okay to an extent that a teacher can be illirate, but at the same time, teacher at least need to know the basics and be able to do things on the computer that might better a child's learning exxperience.  
             I think that teachers should have to take a computer class every year.  Teachers have Smartboard workshops, why not computer workshops.  Mr. Fisch is right, teachers could get away with not using a computer in the 20th century, but is is getting harder to get away with not knowing computers.  In a few years, schools probably won't even hire someone unless they are good with a computer.

                         Social Media counts
  This obviously means that people spend much of their time on the internet whether it be educational or not.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

blog post 2





Did You Know?
Wow. so my first thought after watching this video was, OMG, what does he want us to write about, I don't know what I think except that some of it I expected and some was like wow.  I mean of course computers are going to get better and better.  In a few years they will probably make a computer small enough to fit in your front pocket, and like VCRs and DVD players, computers will become pretty cheap.  
                    It was  a little strange to hear that China is becoming the main English speaking country.  One question, WHY?  But I guess its like US, when people from different countries come here they expect us to know how to talk to them in their language.  of course China's kids are smarter than us, they are way stricter on studying.






     Mr. Winkle has been asleep  for a very long time. when he finally wakes up, he discovers that there is a whole new technological world.  He goes to work and it is very techy, computers everywhere, people video chatting with others from around the world.  It is just all so overwhelming that he gets physically sick, so he decides to go to the hospital only to discover that is is very technological too.  people are hooked up to machines, doctors use machines to look at bones, they use machines for everything.   
          He then walks into a school and thinks that is so different, but then he realizes that school is exactly the same as he remembered.  Students still all sit in rows and listen to teachers teach the same subjects he remembers studying.



          Sir Ken Robinson
                 I  loved all his stories, especially the one about the little girl drawing God and the one about the dancer.  Its so true that if a child cannot sit still, someone wants to put them on meds. I can't stand how adults feel that they need to drug children in order for them to behave.  they just need a little different technique than just sitting still all day.

Cecelia Gault's Interviews  with Sir Ken Robinson
     This girl that interviewed Sir Ken Robinson was very well educated and she had some very good questions.  This was a great interview especially for a young child. I hope in the future that I may teach my students to do this well at things.

This teacher had a great relationship wit her students, she interacts with her students.  She says that students cannot just learn with pencils and paper.  Every student learns different.  She has a very nice relationship with the students, she is not afraid to admit that she doesn't know something and she lets them teach her.  she also lets the students communicate with students their own ages.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

working blog

Hi My name is Rachael Gammill I am New to USA, being a transfer. I am majoring in Elementary ED. I am a Mary Kay Consultant and full time student. I live in Hurley, Ms, I have lived there since I was 2.  I chose Elemtary Ed because I love kids and love teaching them. Prior to coming to USA, I worked at a daycare/preschool and fell in love with it.