Thursday, November 20, 2008

WEEK 9

In reading the article on Wikipedia and how much it can be trusted, I have become more aware of the content of Wikipedia. According to this article, anyone who visits a page on Wikipedia has the option of changing, adding, or deleting whatever they choose. I have been advised by many of my college professors not to trust Wikipedia but never really knew why until now. I have always used information from their site if I wanted to know something. Wikipedia offers information online, quick and easy, whereas you would have to go to the library and find the information otherwise. After reading this review, I think I will still use Wikipedia as a quick reference, but not as a reliable source for important information.

I feel that Wikipedia should do more than track who is making changes to the information. Maybe they could make the information more protected so that people are not allowed to make changes to the content.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Week 8

I chose the blog post for February 2007 from the fischbowl blogspot. I thought it was a very interesting post. It was titled "Is there a formula for Success?" The post was based on the idea that there always seems to be only one right answer for a math problem.

Fisch is posing the question of maybe getting students to apply mathematics to real life situations rather than memorizing steps just to pass their next test. If students learn the concepts of mathematics rather than robotically going through the steps, they would be better able to use these concepts in real life situations. This was a very interesting post from the archives

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Week 7 Assignment

The blog post from technology education specialist Karl Fisch was very interesting. I have never really thought about it the way that he outlines it. When we say we don't know anything about computers and say it proudly, what are we really saying? I will definitely consider his take on this the next time I am asked a question about something I am not familiar with.

I agree completely with Mr. Fisch. I believe that educators should be technologically educated. I know that what I have learned so far in this class has been a wealth of knowledge for me. It only makes sense that educators should step up to the plate and become educated in the world that our students will be thriving in.

Week 6



This is a very interesting blog page from a teacher at Pine Hill School in Dunedin, New Zealand. This teacher teaches the different aspects of photography. Photography is just one of the interesting things that students at Pine Hill School learn to do. According to the school website, more money is spent on curriculum than anything else. The school administration wants the best and most up to date resources for their students.

Another interesting siteis from a school in China. This school,Shu Ren School, uses blogging to keep parents informed about upcoming events. There are posts on this page concerning open house, the school fair, after school classes and even a post about the school being featured on a website. The parents can respond to the posts with cares and concerns that they have. This is a great way to keep parents informed of what is going on at their childrens' school. Also there are pictures posted on the website so this makes it easy for parents and even grandparents to see what is going on at school.




Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Week 5

students around a table working on an art project
What an interesting website from Goochland County, Va. Schools! You can choose any of the teacher’s blogs to visit. This is a blog designed for students and parents by an Art teacher. The teacher has assignments and reminders posted on this blog. She also has the supply list of things needed for the class, and the syllabus for reference. Parents are encouraged to email the teacher with any questions or concerns they may have. It is a wonderful tool for students and parents.





This blog is by an English/Lit teacher from Pell City School. She has designed the blog for students to comment on the different stories and poems that they have read for class. This is a great for students who don’t really understand the meaning of what they have read. If they read the comments that other students have written, they may be better able to understand the meaning of the reading.


Saturday, September 13, 2008

Assignment Week 4

By watching "thefischbowl" video, I have realized how important it is to be educated in the computer world. The world as a whole has become so computer oriented that if you do not have some sort of knowledge in this area, you may feel like you are from another planet. Communicating through messages from your computer or cell phone is becoming more popular than actually picking up the telephone to call someone to say hello. This is the "new" way of communicating.

The graphs that were shown of how rapidly "my space" and "you tube" had grown over the past years was shocking. That shows just how many people are using this type of technology for communicating. The use of cell phones showed a rapid growth in their use as well. This video encouraged me to put my best foot forward to learn all that I can about today's technology.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Week 3 Assignment ACCESS

ACCESS, Alabama Connecting Classroom, Educators, and Students Statewide, is designed to help students take advanced placement or elective courses that they otherwise would not be offered. ACCESS is a way of teaching classes across the state. It is designed to motivate and encourage students with its availability and intent.
The website for ACCESS is available to students, educators, and parents. There are links and videos that can help with specific areas of interest. Many schools in the state of Alabama have already been using ACCESS and I feel that the number will greatly increase.
With students having access to this type of technology, students should be better able to prepare themselves for college. The program also allows for dual enrollment for students who want to get a jump start on their college courses. This is just one more advancement that the state has developed to help today's students with their education.

Friday, August 29, 2008

All about ALEX

Oh how wonderful today's technology is. The state of Alabama has formed a website for teachers and students. This website is such a wonderful tool to know about. It can save you time, and ease the day to day process of being a teacher or student. This wonderful tool is the website for the Alabama Learning Exchange which is available at www.alex.state.al.us.

The website is broken down into categories so that you don't spend thirty minutes finding what you are looking for. If you want to find something contained in the Alabama Course of Study, it is right there online, so you won't have to spend endless time searching through the paper copy of it. There is a tool on there that provides a place for you to create and save lesson plans, also a place to see sample lesson plans. This site is just so creative.

Students can access the website also. They can go to different subjects and search for whatever they may need help with. There are also an enormous amount of web links available on the website.

There are many other areas available on ALEX. The website is easy to navigate and has so much useful information. I know as a current student and a future teacher, I will use this website an awful lot.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Who I Am

Hey! Thanks for visiting my blog! Here are a few things you may find interesting about me:

I am in the Secondary Education program at USA. This is my first semester here. I am majoring in Mathematics. My first day has been hectic, but I know it will get better.

I am 34 years old, married, and have 2 children. I live in Uriah, Al, a small town in south Monroe County. My husband is the new principal at J. U. Blacksher High School in Uriah, Al. My daughter, Ashley, is 14 and is very athletic. She plays basketball and softball. My son, Brandon, is 10 and also enjoys sports. He plays football and baseball. So, I spend alot of time at sports events needless to say.

Spending time with my family is one of the things I enjoy the most. This night class is a new experience for us. I have always been able to be at home at night with my children and husband so this is going to take some getting used to. At least it is only one night a week.

A new found hobby for me is taking care of all of our animals. We have 3 dogs, 2 rabbits, 2 turkeys, 7 ducks and about 50 chickens. At first, I wasn't thrilled about all of the chickens, but I have come around and have enjoyed them very much. It is pretty comical to sit and watch all of the animals and the way they will react and interact with you.