Project #12 Smartboard

Blog Post # 10: What can we learn from Mrs. Cassidy?

Mrs. Cassidy is a first grade teacher in Moose Jaw, Canada. Little Kids...Big Potential is a short video about her students and what they think of the class. Her students like to write on their blogs more than their books because of the comments that they get on their posts. The students can see the changes in their writings and understand the right way to comment on a peers post. At school and at home the students can go onto different learning friendly sights that are educational through her webpage. Being so technologically advanced her students use Skype to interact with different classrooms and learn more about different cultures.

Interview with Cassidy Part 1, Interview with Cassidy Part 2, and Interview with Cassidy Part 3 are all parts of an interview with Kathy Cassidy and how she came to start about in her teaching style with computers. In this interview she explains that she started when computers were donated to her and 10 years from the day of the interview started her webpage. 5 years before the interview was the start of her blog and 2 years before the interview was the start of the video of her students using technology to better their education. The best part of the way Mrs. Cassidy explains her way to teaching with technology is the endeavor to keep the identity of the students safe, but while also allowing the students and parents to understand that they will always be using technology and the internet. The way that she uses her students blogs as a way to keep their work together is a way that I plan on using in my own classroom in the future. Also with her idea of the audience of the blogs being a great motivator to the students. In this first video "Little Kids...Big Potential", the kids state that they love to write on their blogs because of the views and comments. Mrs. Cassidy explains that the best way to get interested in technology is to find a way to express your own likes, such as Flickr if you are interested in photos or videos, or blogs if you love to write.

(Blog Picture)

C4K for March

For week 9, my assignment was to comment on Emily's blog post on her advice to new students at her high school. Emily is a sophomore at Joilet High School and her advice to freshman was very true in any case, not just at her specific school. Here is the comment that I left on her blog:


"Hello Emily. I am a student at the University of South Alabama in EDM 310. I really enjoyed your advice to future students at your high school. I went to two different high schools, both drastically different from the other. My first two years were at a high school that was enormous and my last two years were at a small little high school in the middle of the country. In your post I saw a few different punctuation and capitalization problems, but your flow and form was very easy to read. Your content was very helpful and I hope that your readers will take your advice and enjoy their new time at your high school."

For week 10, my assignment was to comment on Cristal's blog post on her experience while job shadowing. The job she shadows was in the cosmetology field, but her main concern is the wage that she would be making if she went after that job. Here is the comment that I left on her blog:

"Hey Cristal! I have never even thought of working in the field of cosmetology, but my dream is to be a teacher. Teachers do not make a great salary either, however if you love what you do then that is what matters. If you love cosmetology then chase your dreams! I have heard of countless people that take their dreams and make a great living, even in the field of cosmetology. Job shadowing is a great way to explore your options! Keep pursuing your dreams."

For week 11, my assignment was to comment on Jacob C's blog post on his pets. He has two snakes, a rainbow boa and a normal ball python. Here is the comment that I left on his blog:

"Hey Jacob!
I am an EDM 310 student at the University of South Alabama. I loved reading about what type of snakes you have and can honestly say I have never heard of a rainbow boa. I actually touched a snake for the first time yesterday, but I still have a fear of them if they are not someones pet. How big are you snakes? I saw a eight foot snake that weighed 80+ pounds yesterday.

Megan"

Blog Post # 9: What Can Teachers and Students Teach Us About Project Based Learning?

Seven Essentials for Project Based Learning 

This article is very helpful for when you are just starting your PBL and are lost in the depth of a PBL. The seven steps (need to know, driving question, student voice and choice, 21st century skills, inquiry and innovation, feedback and revision, and a publically presented project) easily break down the process and lead towards a strong project that is easily explained and thought out.

Project-Based Learning for Teachers

This short video is a great way to explain what PBL is and how it helps a teacher to center his or her lessons around a driving question that leads to a complete ending that the students have to share with their peers. In this video there are many different sites used to help a teacher with their use of PBL.

Ten Sites Supporting Digital Classroom Collaboration in Project Based Learning

This article discusses the importance of PBL and give ten resources for helpful tips on how to use PBL. Some of these sites were new to me and after looking over them I found them to be extremely helpful and will implement them in the future. 

What Motivates Students? 

In this short video, students explain what motivates them to do better. The answers range from the goal of having a family and a house and being able to support that lifestyle, going to college and be able to do what the student wants to do when they grow up, and being congratulated by teachers or other students for the hard work that paid off on a good test score. The second half of this video shows the students explaining the reward systems that they think work best for them. From stickers to pizza parties, motivation runs rich through these kids. 

Project Based Learning in PE

This blog post is about a high school that allows their students to plan and improve the physical fitness plans for the middle school students at the school. By following the The National Association for Sport and Physical Education standards not only are the high schoolers following the basic guidelines of physical fitness but are helping to mold the middle schoolers into a healthier lifestyle. This way to use PBL is a great idea to help all high schoolers promote physical fitness around the world. 

PBL

Project # 9: Motivating Students to Learn

Blog Post #8: What Can We Learn About Teaching and Learning From Randy Pausch?

This week we were assigned to watch a lecture, given by Randy Pausch, that had the ability to make "the world stop and pay attention" as it was stated on Carnegie Mellon University. Starting the lecture out, Pausch tells that he had tumors in his liver and was told he only had three to six months left to live. At this point, I had to stop the video because my own experience with my mother having cancer and being given the same time frame to live and not making it to the sixth month mark. Bausch continues on about how he wants to promote "Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" and talks about his own childhood dreams of being able to flip like the astronauts from his childhood in the 60s. 

One of the mainly points that Pausch mentions in the first part of the lecture is that your critics are the people that are telling you they care and want you to do better. As I listened to this part of his lecture about his football coaches, I remember all of my own critics. My parents were my first critics, who pushed my boundaries and my determination to be the best that I could be. My resources teacher, Mrs. Fox, who pushed me to catch back up to the other kids in my grade and inspired me to be a teacher. And lastly, my 12th grade english teacher, Mrs. Conerly, who pushed me to get out of my rut and take pride in my work. The similarity between all of my great teachers were the enthusiastic determination to excite their students and promote learning. These are points that Pausch mentions as the important parts of a "good" teacher. Throughout his lecture, Pausch describes his brick walls that are the different adversities that one must overcome to be the best that they can be.

C4T #2 - Diane Dahl

In Diane Dahl's blog on fotheloveofteaching.net, my task for this week was to comment on her most recent post, which is from September 1, 2014. Below is my comment on Diane's blog:

"Hey! I'm an EDM310 student at the University of South Alabama. I really enjoyed your blog post and I agree that students and fellow teachers should be treated like that are at the top of the class. It promotes great feelings and gives encouragement for the students or teachers that may not feel on the top of everything!

Thank you!
Megan Shoultz"

Taken from Diane Dahl's blog post

On Diane's blog, I commented on her Math Monday post in which she explained that she gives her students time to explore their ways of addition at the start of the lesson. In her post, Diane included wonderful photos of her students various reasonings behind how they add. Below is my comment:

"Hey! I'm an EDM 310 student at the University of South Alabama. I love the photos that you added of your students and their different ways to explain their techniques of adding. As a student I remember my own struggles with adding and love that you have given your students 15 minutes of personal time to explore the different options. I feel that this is a great way to open up your students minds to different options."

Project 13

Below you will find a link to our group file and there you will find our lesson plan, rubric, and calendar for Project 13:

Wildcats Drive