Sunday, January 27, 2013

Blog Assignment #2

The Present or History

     Did you know? 3.0 and Dr.Strange's EDM 310 version both highlight the constantly increasing impact technology has in the world and the role it plays in education.
     As a history teacher the increasing impact technology has in the world definitely puts on more pressure because as quickly as an event went happens it becomes history. Therefore, it is even that much more important that I help my students understand the concept of history and the role it places in their life so that they are educated, and they do not allow history repeat itself. This because with everything that is happening all over the world it would be impossible for me to teach them about every single thing in history.

21st or 12th Century?

    In the video Mr.Winkle Wakes focuses on the lag education has on technology in the rest of the world. How can we expect students to succeed with an education system so out of date? Is technology really that important to education?
     It is absolutely necessary that teachers implement the use of modern technology in their lesson plan. This tools assist students in understanding what is being taught and creates a better way of teaching that was never available before.

Recreating Creativity

     In The Importance of creativity, Sir Ken Robinson speaks about how the education system is killing creativity. My absolute favorite quote from this lecture is: if you are afraid of being wrong you will never come up with anything original. Robinson talks about how through the system of right or wrong grading teachers have destroyed children's creative minds.
     It is not acceptable for us to continue on is this same pattern. We are in a time that everything changes so quickly that students need that creativity more than ever. because the places we are setting then up to succeed in now will no longer be there. They will be left with their knowledge and creative to find where they fit in.

An Interest in Pinterest

     Pinterest is literally a hub of ideas just waiting for you to click them. It is a source teachers may use for anything from what to put on a bulletin board to how to help a disruptive student learn. It is a tool for all and any teachers with a question of how.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Blog Assignment #1

Life as I Know It

    My name is Carmen Deanna Clark. I was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama. After graduating from Mary G. Montgomery I decide to take a major step out of my comfort zone of sweet tea and yes ma'am to move to Springfield, Missouri, and attend Evangel University as a theology major. I returned back to Mobile to attend the University of South Alabama to pursue a degree in secondary education(history).
     As a freshman at Evangel University I had the opportunity to take a personality test that assessed my top five strengths. These strengths include: strategic, W.O.O.(winning others over), communication, adaptability, and positivity. I truly believe that these adequately describe who I am. My interest include making people laugh, helping people in need, religion, United States history, ancient history, racquetball, human videos, softball, and traveling. I feel compelled to train up, guide, coach, and encourage young students to be the best they can be and to work hard as they achieve their dreams.

The Art of Teaching

     I desire to teach high school(11th grade) history. I feel that the importance of history is often lost through the spitting off of dates, names, and locations. I want to change this. I will create a challenging course that pushes students to not only learn what has happened but also why it happened, its results, how those results effect them, and how to apply the concept into their life and future.
    I understand that everyone of my students will be different. They will all come into my classroom with different learning preferences, interests, and options on the value of history. In my classroom students will have the opportunity to learn through visual, auditory, and kinesthetic styles. They will be able to connect and relate history to things that are important to them and observe the impact history has on their personal future.
    In order for students to have those opportunities I will employ multiple different tools to aid them in their understanding of history. These tools include: SMART boards, powerpoint, Youtube, podcast, student-teacher safe interactives sites, pictures, art, and music. I will incorporate this things into my lessons. and many of them will be available as homework aids and assistances to students who may be falling behind due to an absence.
    My classroom will be held in a very organized and structured manner. Everything moment will be used to prepare students for their future. Students will be expected to come in and get to work instantly on writing down information that I will have up for them. This information includes things they need to know such as homework, today's class objectives, and a few interesting facts in history. My class will be held in a lecture style in which I will teach using many of the above stated tools while students are expected to follow and keep notes.

Time is of the Essence

     In Randy Pausch's lecture on time management he dicusses the importances of creating a plan even if you do not stick exactly to it. Paulsch speaks on the role planning has in setting goals. He also mentions creating to do list and how to get through them.
     As I stated above my top strength is Strategic this means I plan ahead constantly. I have plans, schedules, and to do list everywhere. From my weekly blocked out schedule on my computer, to my summer trip planning list on my desk, to my school work to do list on my phone I have them everywhere. I do not have a problem in this area.
     What I found to be most important in this lecture as it applies to me are Pausch's statements on doing the right thing as opposed to doings things right. I often waste time trying to make things prefect instead of getting things adequately done and moving on to the next thing. If I practice this idea in my life it would allow me to manage my time more effectively.