Looking Back/Looking Ahead

When I first registered for this class, I was excited to learn more but I had this preconceived notion that the class would be focusing on presentation tools such as PowerPoint, Smartboard, etc.  I see now how naive that was.  Not only did we learn about presentation tools (Prezi!), we learned about all the techy tools that could make education fun and still effective for all learning types.  From the "Trends in Ed Tech" at the beginning of the class till the "Cool Tools" segment at the end, I learned a new skill/trick every class.  I was always learning something new and it was always something I could apply for my future classroom and even my own personal use.  There were so many tools and tricks that I learned, but I would like to point out just a few that truly made an impression on me.
One of the tools I found neat and that I wish I will have the resources for at my future school is my "Trends in Ed Tech" presentation on augmented reality.  I was amazed by the advancements and benefits that augmented reality can provide in a classroom.  It gives the physical and visual learner an opportunity to actually learn in their own element.  They no longer have to worry about memorizing text or trying to decipher confusing charts of data.  With augmented reality, they are able to actually see and "touch" the information they need to learn and understand.  Through the use of a simple app, it can open up a new world for certain students and make education not only visually stimulating but interesting enough to deserve pursuit. Most people believe that 3D imagery belong in the movie theater or for special effects, but bless the man or woman that discovered that it could help children learn as well.  
Another tool that I cannot wait to use in the classroom is (coincidentally): blogs.  In a previous blog post, I believe I mentioned that I had always thought that the only people who wrote blogs were adults who had a certain topic or notion to write about when they felt like it.  I had never even thought of using blogs in the classroom as a tool to have the students engage and discuss with each other about certain aspects of a topic.  I think that blogs provide students the skills to carefully sort out their thoughts and come to conclusions about their opinions.  Students can learn these skills writing essay papers as well, but blogs are more engaging and the students are familiar with them in this modern day existence.  Any tool that can help students connect with what they are learning is a gem and should be taken advantage of often.
The final tool that I believe will be a great assistance for me in my future classroom will be the idea of  the "flipped classroom."  When it was introduced in class, I just thought to myself that it made so much sense.  Instead of using precious class time for instruction, one could provide the instruction via video that the students can watch when they get home, and then discuss it and work on projects during the actual class period to enhance what they have already learned the night before.  All teachers complain about how there are never enough hours or days in the school year to teach all that they need to teach.  The flipped classroom concept gives the teachers the opportunity to have half the work done each time the students come into class.  If the students already have the basic understanding of the concept, the rest of the class can be utilized to further delve into the subject matter more.  Granted, this process might not be beneficial for some students who understand better if they have a physical teacher instructing them step-by-step.  However, I think that for some subjects, especially math and science, this is a preferred method of instruction since there are so many projects or experiments that can be performed during the class period instead.  I know for the young elementary grades that this idea might be a tad difficult to operate, but I would like to try and see if it can be possibly done.
Overall, I would have to say that my whole attitude about integrating technology in my classroom has definitely changed.  My first initial thoughts about technology in the classroom was that it definitely has its uses, but I was still a fan of the traditional pencil and paper.  Which I still am.  However, perhaps it was my past experiences as a teacher at a school that had no resources or money for anything technologically advanced that had me a tad biased about using technology.   We had chalkboards, posters, pencils, and paper.  No iPads, Smartboards, WiFi, or anything that activated with the swipe of a finger entered those doors.  I felt that I had taught my students to the best of my ability with the resources I had at hand, and I believed that they had received a sound and well-rounded education despite everything.  So, perhaps it was a bit of pride that made me dubious about using lots of technology in the classroom.  I could understand some uses but not many.
Now that I have finished this class, I cannot say that I have necessarily abandoned my traditional ways entirely, but that my eyes have been opened to the countless possibilities through the use of techy tools in the classroom.  In this modern age, it would be foolish and ignorant to resist any types of technology in the classroom.  I still do not believe that it should overtake the curriculum necessarily, but through the utilization of these cool tools and gadgets that I have learned throughout this course, I can confidently say that technology can be a helping hand and an opportunity to reach and support students on their sacred journey of knowledge.
 Currently, I cannot wait till I have my own classroom to try out all these great and nifty techy tricks that I now have stored up my sleeve.  I cannot wait to see my students engaged and excited to learn.  There will always be some degree of distraction that accompany anything technological, but I believe that if you have a goal in mind and you know how you would like to use a techy tool that there will mostly be beneficial outcomes from its utilization in the classroom.
I would like to also say thank you to Prof. Zumpano for teaching this class and showing us all how to become better teachers in the 21st century.  I truly feel like I can walk into a modern day classroom and teach the modern day kids with modern day technology and (hopefully) succeed.   Thanks again to my professor and class for a great semester! I will probably data mine you all in the later years to come, so do not worry, I will keep "in touch."  Good luck on all your future endeavors!

Gotta close out the semester with Oprah.  It's a must.  

Digital Tattoos

When we were assigned to find our "stranger," I can say that I was kind of surprised that these people were all right with us looking up their personal information on the Internet.  Granted, nowadays you can find mostly anything on the Internet, and nothing is necessarily "private" or a "surprise." What with Facebook and blogs, people are pouring their whole souls sometimes onto these sites, and there are many occasions in which people talk about more intimate and difficult topics online than face to face with an actual person.  I feel that some people might find it easier perhaps if they are not actually looking at a person when they are discussing complex or emotional topics.  I have never been that type of person myself.  I mean, I post things here and there on Facebook, Twittter, etc., but I have never been a fan of telling your whole life story to complete strangers online.  The strangers become an audience and your life becomes a performance, and in my opinion, that is not the way that life should be led--basing your decisions on how your audience might react to them.  However, people who have no shame on what they post or how they lead their lives are open to others researching them.  I figured that these "strangers" that we were assigned to had nothing to hide, and so I was not necessarily expecting to uncover any dirt or tools to blackmail them.
It was rather simple to find all the basic information about our "stranger."  One of the frustrating parts of the investigation though was that you had to pay to get a full background check on some of these sites.   Necessary if you want to know for certain if your next door neighbor is a serial killer or not, but for our particular assignment, I did not want to bother paying the government to tell me she was clean as a whistle.  In the end, we discovered some of her hobbies, where she went to school, her living arrangements, how much she paid for her house, her family's names and their interests, and videos that she had posted on YouTube.   Was I surprised we found all this about her?  No.  As I stated before, with Facebook and all the places on the internet where you have to upload personal information to sign up, activate, or download certain websites or files, your information and passwords are everywhere.  I would have been surprised if we had perhaps found some criminal records on her, but again since she permitted us to research her, I figured she did not have anything to cover up.  Sometimes it might take a certified and experienced CIA agent to dig up absolutely everything, but the most basic and mostly harmless information is open to the general public.  Public in this case referring to the world wide web and the millions of people who have access to Internet.
  The fact that millions of people could have personal information about you and your family?  Slightly terrifying.  However, I think that most people have enabled this by posting everything online and sometimes you need to for banking purposes and such.  Our generation has mandated us to do so many things online now.  Sometimes it is the only option.  Some workplaces will only accept job applications if they are submitted online for instance.  There is all your personal information!  Granted, the website does promise that no personal information will be leaked.  But one high-school dropout with a knack for hacking could.  This has happened and will continue to happen, and the only thing we can really do about it is to be aware of how much we are revealing about ourselves online.
So, yes, I think it would be very important to approach this subject with students.  After all, they have been surrounded by technology since they were born and dial-up Internet was basically extinct when they were placed on this Earth.  Students nowadays are always on the Internet in some form or capacity.  They are sharing everything about their lives on all kinds of apps and social media sites from how pretty their ice cream cone is, how cute they look in their sunglasses, and selfies of them and their friends doing the "duck-face." All of these are harmless yet the students have to be aware at the same time of how much they should share.  Students are sometimes the most vulnerable and susceptible to the cruel and unjust world of the Internet just because they are young and unaware of the dangers.  Will most of these kids' identities get stolen and will get stalked by some creeper in Tokyo?  Probably not.  But that does not mean that they cannot be careful about it.

As teachers, we ourselves need to be the models for self-awareness on the Internet.  I think Facebook, for teachers at least, needs to be on the private setting or labeled under a different name than the students are used to calling them.  Teachers also need to be especially careful about what they post since it can affect their job stability.  One viral picture and everything can go south.  Teachers need to practice being careful on the Internet to be an example to students of how they should act and behave.  Will you still be able to find lots of information about a particular student or teacher on the Internet?  Most likely.  It's not difficult to find general information about people.  I believe it is more difficult to hone and refine what you want your digital tattoo to look like if others chance to look you up.  All of us has a digital tattoo whether we like it or not.  It is up to us and how we behave in our lives that determines what that tattoo will ultimately look like.  We do not and should not live for an audience, but despite that belief: the world is watching.      

Tech, Tac, Toe: QR Codes & Four Squares

For my last tool, I decided to use QR codes.  QR codes are constantly used in the world as a means to link individuals to additional information through the use of a scanner on their phones.  I think that they would also be just as helpful within a classroom where attaining additional information is key.  I went back to the subject of math again and focused on the concept of multiplying.  For this particular activity, I merged two tools together: QR codes and Four Squares.  Four Squares are exactly what they sound like. They are four squares aligned together to make one, overall, large square.  A teacher can then have a student take a topic or problem and have each square be a specific description or view of that particular topic.  Basically, it is taking one thing and dividing or viewing it four different ways.  They can be used for any subject, but I have most commonly seen them used for writing.  I decided to change things up a bit.

Four Squares are even found outside of the classroom!

What I did with my Four Square was that I took a multiplication problem and then had the student solve the problem in four different ways using an individual square to show each way.  My first square asked them to solve the problem traditionally, but to put the answer in expanded form.  The second square asked them to draw an array to find the answer.  Third square asked them to use repeated addition, and the fourth square asked them to find the answer by skip counting.  By using several means of finding the answer, the students are triple checking their original answer and understanding the concept of how to multiply a little more effectively.
At the bottom right corner of each square is a QR code.  Once the students have written down their answers within each square, they are then allowed to check their answers by using their iPads and scanning the codes.  The codes will bring them to the answers.  Underneath each answer, I ask the students: "Did you get it right?  If not, where did you go wrong?"  I would then have them correct their own answers to further their understanding and comprehension of the concept.
QR codes are easy to make and use.  My only qualm with the website http://www.qrstuff.com where I generated my codes was that it would not allow you to link the code to a personal document.  I only realized afterward I had made a Word document for each code that I actually had to manually type in what I wanted to say.  I ended up not using my Word document which was a tad irritating, but I found other resources and it worked out all the same.
I think that QR codes are an inventive way of linking our students to more opportunities to learn.  They are very simple and effortless, but they add just that little bit more to the lesson.  They encourage independent learning and curiosity for the unknown.  I think that these are a great, simple tool that any teacher can take advantage of.  I know that I personally will when I have my own classroom.

Below is my example of a Four Square/QR code hybrid.  Free for commercial reuse.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GlT2sqZ9k3I58yjIEZIAorOs0irBswTHjcKvUgD0Lac/edit

All hail the QR!

Tech, Tac, Toe: Sea Turtle Thinglink

For my second tool, I decided to use an interactive image.  I found the free tool on http://www.thinglink.com.  I took a step back from math and decided to focus on animal science.  I know from personal experience that any subject matter focusing on animals is always a favorite.  Animals (like ice cream) are loved by students, and I have not heard of many students who dislike learning about them.  I chose the specific animal for this lesson to be the sea turtle.  There are so many fascinating facts about this animal and most kids have not seen one.  So, I assumed that it would be an intriguing animal to study.
The particular interactive image I made of the sea turtle has nine points that either connect to a YouTube video, a picture, or a link about sea turtles.  One point even has a link to the definition of "reptile".  I would love to make this interactive image during class with my students.  I think that after an initial discussion on sea turtles in class, it would be fun for the students and their teacher to work together to make an interactive image about this topic.  It could also be used as an assessment tool for the teacher in order to see what the students remembered about these creatures. The students could help the teacher find videos, articles, and other pictures about sea turtles and then work together to put the points on the image via their iPads.  Another way is that they could also project the image on a Smartboard and instruct the teacher on their computer on where to put the points and what they should link to those specific points.
I honestly believe that this would be a fun and exciting way to combine all the students' knowledge about the animal into one tool.  This tool could even be accessed later on as a "review sheet" for the students when they are about to take a quiz on sea turtles.  They could use their iPads to access the image and study.  Also, I believe that students remember information easier if they help to create a project that uses their own personal knowledge about the subject.  I think that the combination of animals and interactive play would be a great way to enhance this topic matter and help the students learn effectively.  I think that this would be a great tool to use in any classroom.

Below is my example of the Sea Turtle interactive image.  Beware that some sea turtles chomp.

http://www.thinglink.com/scene/639975288729501696

Just keep swimming.

Tech, Tac, Toe: Ice Cream Infographic

My subject focus for this tool was 2nd grade math.  I had always thought as a child that math was boring, so I wanted to see if I could spice it up with my own students.  The content that I chose to teach was the concept of making bar graphs.  Right about 2nd grade or so is when graphs (pie, bar, etc.) are introduced.  They are taught how to make and read a graph.  A great way to engage the student and to help their understanding is to make a graph out of data from the students' own knowledge.  They would come up with the data, and then we would make a graph accordingly.  I wanted to show them how easy it can be.  So, I decided to make an infograph as a tool during this particular lesson.  I went on http://infogr.am.en and found a template to start to make my graph.
I chose the topic of favorite ice cream flavors to be the data.  Every second grader loves ice cream (except if they are lactose intolerant) and definitely would have an opinion and a certain knowledge about this topic.  With this tool pulled up on a Smartboard, I would find a graph and ask the students what we should write for the x and y axis. I would then take a poll from every student about which ice creams are their most favorite. Every time a child gave their answer, I would add it to the grid on the site which would make the bar graph ascend accordingly.  I can only imagine that the colorful bars "competing" against each other to be tallest would be a source of engagement and enjoyment for the students.
After each student had been polled, I would then ask the students questions about the graph such as:  "Which ice cream is the most favorite in the class?", "Which ice cream is the least favorite?", and "How many more students like chocolate more than vanilla?", etc.  I would ask questions that would promote them to interpret and read the graph they had just made with me.  I would then save the graph, print it out, and post it somewhere in the classroom.
I found this tool to be very fun and easy to use.  I have always loved infographics myself, and I knew that this would probably be a tool that students would love to use.  It is not only colorful and fun, but you can also manipulate and play with it.  I think that the students would be able to grasp the concepts of bar graphs easily and in an engaging manner.  There are so many options on this site to make any kind of infographic you might need.  My graph example is a simple one, but I believe that it would be very effective during class.
My example is provided below.  Results may vary depending on class size and ice cream preferences.  This specific example displays 26 students and their probable favorite ice cream flavors.

Math is so much better with ice cream.

https://infogr.am/ice_cream_infograph   

Media Literacy Reflection

When the concept of media literacy was introduced in class, I would not say that anything necessarily surprised me in the presentation.  I had always known that it was difficult sometimes to find a reliable news source or station because of reporters' biases or misconceptions. Here is a choice clip from the Daily Show only supporting this fact, if you are interested:  http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/lkmdal/fox-news--false-statements.
 I had always known that ads exaggerated and stretched the truth.  The only advertisements that I somewhat tolerated were the Superbowl ads and any others that used humor as a selling point.  Those I found less annoying.  However, despite my annoyances with the ads, I found myself falling for them.  Whenever an ad came on describing the amazing effects of this new makeup or hair product, it would prompt me to go online, research it some more to see if it was worth it, and then possible buy it.  When I saw the new meal that Applebee's was serving on the TV, the next time my fiance and I went out for dinner, I would suggest that we go there.   Despite my awareness of the lies and exaggeration that ads live on, I am still a sucker for it.   However, it is better that I have some kind of awareness versus none.  That is why the very impressionable kids of this generation need to be taught how to combat the onslaught of pictures, videos, and words that are trying to convince them of how or what they should decide.

Avoid this.

I do not think that there needs to necessarily be a class every day discussing this topic in a school, but I think that perhaps a teacher, whether it be the homeroom or the technology/keyboarding teacher, should use this topic to lead class discussion at least a few times a month.  Whether the teachers follow a set program for media literacy or come up with it on their own, their students need to know that they are being lied to several times a day by the media.  They need to know how to respond to these falsehoods being shoved into their retinas. The task of a school is to mold these minds into well-balanced, intelligent, hard-working, responsible members of the human race.  Knowledge about media literacy encourages the children to not only use deductive reasoning to uncover the deceptive "truths" but to also internally reflect on their own beliefs.  Media literacy will not only make the students question what the media is trying to make them believe but also what they believe themselves.  Media literacy might not be the first time where students mediate on who they are, but it could be another stepping point to full self-realization.
I cannot see anything negative about teaching this topic in schools.  I believe that it will engage most students because they can all relate to it since it is something that they are surrounded by every waking moment of their lives.  It will teach the students how to uncover the truth and their own person-hood at the same time.  Plus, you get to watch videos for an entire class period.

And only a neanderthal would whine about that.

 Ads are everywhere whether we like it or not, and it is only becoming worse. Obviously they work or else the companies who spend the money to produce the ads would not have money left to produce them.  Our world is obsessed with beautiful people, things, and ideas.  Ad companies pounce on that and eat that as their bread and butter.  We are duped whether we are aware of it or not.  The scary prospect is that we can be unconsciously fooled into buying or believing something.  That is why I believe that this generation needs to have an awareness of what they are being force fed if you will.  The children of this age are surrounded by flashy modern technology that never give them a moment's peace.  These young minds need to be taught how to find the truth amid the noise and confusion.  They must be pushed out of their ignorance and complacency and be fighters for what they believe is right and true.

Digital Storytelling Experience

When the project of the digital story was presented in class, I was filled with a mixture of feelings.  I was apprehensive about making my own video, but at the same time I was excited to create it as well.  I knew that night that the topic of the video would be about brewing beer.  I had not hashed out the particulars necessarily, but the idea was already ingrained in my mind before class was over.  Later that night, my fiance asked if people would admit me to AA if I used beer as the topic for my digital story.  I told him that since this was our hobby, he would be accompanying me to the sessions if that was the case.
I began the project about a week in advance to give myself ample time.  I am definitely not the most savviest with technology and making a video with audio, narration, etc. made me quite nervous.  Which is why I ran to my tech savvy fiance for assistance.  At first, I started to use Windows Movie Maker on my laptop, but my fiance stopped me and stated that I would only become incensed and suicidal if I used that program.  He then introduced me to the wonderful world of Corel VideoStudio Pro X7.  This amazing tool enabled me to match up my audio, pictures, and music almost effortlessly.  There were also many other tools and animations that Corel offered that one could implement in their project to spice it up.

Here is the link to download a free trial of the updated program yourself or for additional information about the product:

 http://www.videostudiopro.com/en/products/videostudio/ultimate/

The only downside to this was that my personal laptop could not support this program.  I then had to work on my fiance's desktop for the rest of my project.  Which would have been fine except for the fact that his desktop did not have a microphone.  So, I had to record my narration on my laptop and then link it to the desktop.  There were quite a few instances where my narration failed to connect and after hours of working and twiddling with the video, I would only realize the next day that the audio did not save, and I would have to try to link and adjust it again for hours.
 This happened on Sunday night, the night before the project was due.  I had gone on the desktop to download my video onto YouTube, only to discover that my narration audio had disappeared.  You can only imagine the heated and rather base choice of words that I directed towards both computers.  I had worked for many painstaking hours the day before on my digital story, so this was a swift kick in the pants. Knowing me all too well, my fiance handed me a beer and told me that it would work out.  With steam hissing out of my ears, I managed to link the audio, save it, and adjust it to the rest of my story until it was as perfectly timed as the day before.  The rest from then on was smooth sailing.
I was overall pleased with my final product.  The only qualm and difficulty that I struggled with in particular during the creation was the shaky and static sounds that the microphone made during my narration.  I redid my narrative clips many times trying to make that unnatural sound dissipate.   I tried to adjust the volume of my own voice, the location of the microphone, and even used Corel's audio features to try to clean up the audio noise.  In the end, nothing seemed to help and on Sunday night in particular, I was not in the mood to keep trying any longer.
If I had to do this project over again, I would definitely purchase a better quality microphone and add some background music as I instructed my audience on the basics of proper home-brewing. Perhaps I would add some animations or text to the slides as well.  I had also wanted to added a clip of a comedian's skit making fun of New Hampshire and their obsession with drinking, but it would have made the story go over the time limit. However, despite those improvements, I was pleased with the outcome and relieved that it was all over.  I was also very proud of myself that I created my own video and that I now possess the skills to make an even better digital story in the future.   Better stock the fridge with "inspiration" while I am thinking about it now.

Here is the finished product of my digital story on the home-brewing process for your enjoyment:

And for further enjoyment, here is the comedian that I spoke of earlier.  His name is Juston McKinney, and this is his skit on New Hampshire.  Warning: Some rude and crude humor ahead.

#Twitter #& #PLNs

#Twitter

I had never much interest in joining Twitter.  I believed it to be just another social media outlet where people could comment, complain, and argue about every little thing in their lives.  Facebook was enough; I did not need anything else.  I was forced to join Twitter for this class, and I was not exactly thrilled about it.  I had always thought hash tagging was (to be frank) lame.  I had interpreted it as a fad that people had accepted as another cool way to write and participate on social media.  I had no idea that hash tagging actually had authentic uses when it was not attached to ridiculously long and seemingly unnecessary jumbled words.  When I joined Twitter, I found that the hash tags actually were a way to connect with others versus just looking "cool."  I was slightly relieved to realize that hash tagging was not completely absurd, and I began to follow educational resources as mandated by the class.  I tweeted here and there, mostly for assignment purposes, but then as time went on, I found myself checking Twitter a few times a day just for *gasp* fun.  I read a plethora of articles about education, current events, and entertainment.  I began to enjoy tweeting or even retweeting links to articles I found interesting or important.  Basically, my experience with Twitter was not as awful or annoying as I had expected it to be.  I greatly appreciated the fact that you could only type 140 characters.  Unlike Facebook, where an individual could drone on and on about their opinion for a good two pages worth, Twitter forced you to be brief and get to the point.  Attach the link, little blurb, then tweet.  I believe that that has contributed to Twitter's success.  People are able to go on Twitter, read some bite size information, and then they have the choice to click on the link and indulge or not.  I have found that there are wonderful resources to be found on Twitter, and I have sincerely enjoyed being able to easily find tips, advice, and innovative ideas to enrich my own career as an educator.  My eyes have been slightly opened to the possibilities that Twitter can offer an educator.  I would not go as far as to say that I have been completely converted or even addicted to Twitter, but I can admit that I do not dub hash tagging as "lame" any more.  Unless you do not have a Twitter.  Then it is still lame.



FYI: Here is a link to my personal Twitter feed:  https://twitter.com/sugarnspice523

#Educational Resource via Twitter

Going back to my comment earlier about the ease of finding resources for educator, I specifically found one article that I wished I had read years before.  I found it on Edutopia (@edutopia) on Twitter.  Edutopia is a site providing insights and information on how to make teaching and education more effective.  It is one of the many education resources that I follow on Twitter, and it is one of the main sources that I retweet from.  This particular article first grabbed me by its title: "5 Tips for Teaching the Tough Kids."  Every teacher would hop on this, right?  There are tough kids in any class and and any advice on how to handle them is more than appreciated.  In my own personal experience, when I taught as a 2nd grade teacher, I had one tough kid in particular that I fought with every day.  He changed the whole dynamic of the classroom and stubbornly ignored any suggestions to correct his behavior.  I felt at a loss many days on to how to manage this child.  So, when I came across this article in my Twitter feed, I pounced on it.  I thought to myself, "What can I do better in the future for the tough kids that I am bound to have in my class?"
The article explain five ways that a teacher could approach these kids and how to even turn them into positive leaders in your classroom. The five tips were as follows:

1. Set the Tone.
 A teacher must let the "tough kids" know that despite the label that has been given to them, the teacher still believes in them and wants that child to know that.  Create a positive and safe atmosphere within the classroom for learning.
2. Be a Good Mentor
Most tough kids come from difficult homes or family situations.  They act out because they are vying for attention even if it is in a negative form.  They need stability and an adult that will be there for them.  Be a supportive and trustworthy mentor, and it can change a child's life drastically.
3. Make Connections
Now that you are a mentor to these children, you have the opportunity to really connect with them.  Talk about issues or interests outside of school.  Really understand where these children are coming from and who they are as people.  Be honest, genuine, and show a real interest in what they are interested in.
4. Take It Personally
What the author meant by this is that students will say things to teachers that hurt or belittle them and/or their teaching skills.  Sometimes it is unintentional and sometimes not.  These kids want to get under the teacher's skin and make them feel inadequate since that is how they are personally feeling about themselves. Teachers need to deal with these comments at that moment and use the comments to improve their teaching.  Address the comments in class and support these students in their endeavors.  Help them prove to themselves that they can accomplish any goal they set.  These kids are written off as hopeless; you need to help instill hope within  themselves.
5. Expect Anything and Everything!
The author reiterates that the tough kids will come from anywhere (cultures, countries, etc.) and have experienced almost everything.  Be prepared to handle any and all situations and to never give up on them.  You might be the only trusting, stable, adult relationship that these kids have.

As I stated above, I wish I had read this article before I had even taught.  It provided me with great tips on how to effectively work with the tough kids, and now I can utilize them in my future classroom.  I found this tiny article link on Twitter, and I found myself inspired in the end.  Just a small example of how Twitter is an excellent resource for educators.
To read the article in its entirety, here is the link: http://t.co/YngVfDRsNE

#PLNs--#ntchat

I was wary about the participating in a live twitter chat with a PLN (Professional Learning Network) just because it seemed so daunting and unfamiliar.  I decided to join the New Teacher chat (#ntchat) since I figured that that would be a chat that I could extract some knowledge from and there would be others like me participating as well.  I signed onto Twub so that I could manage the speed of the chat, but found that the chat was not moving quickly at all.  The host was late arriving for the chat and then it seemed that the questions were slow in posting.  I ended up chatting on the actually Twitter site instead since the chat seemed to be moving a little faster on that end.  The topic for the chat was social studies and how to implement different methods to teach it within the classroom.  Veterans and newbie teachers joined and answers were given.  I found that many of the ideas were very brilliant and commented and/or favorited several of the posts.  I did not think that the twitter chat was a life changing experience, and there were even times when I thought it slightly dull.   However, I felt that it was another great resource, especially for new teachers, to participate in and gather more knowledge and advice to better their teaching techniques.

Screenshots of my live twitter chat:

Question 1 was: What is the purpose of teaching Social Studies in the classroom?

Question 2 was: What strategies can we use in social studies to reach beyond the classroom walls to make global                                                                                                              connections?

Question 3 was: Do social studies textbooks still have a place in today's classrooms? 

The Stages of Technology Integration

After reviewing the stages, I believe that I would have to label myself as being in the 2nd stage (Adoption) of Technology Integration within the classroom.  I have never been completely against using technological tools in my lessons, but at the same time I have also been wary about technology taking the spotlight in my lessons versus just assisting them.  I have used videos, music and a Smartboard to teach lessons before.  However, the private school that I taught for did not have the funds to have many technological tools within the classrooms.  Heck, we barely had one functioning computer in the entire school.   I never felt that I needed any other advanced tools in my classroom and that we were getting by with what I was able to use on my iPhone.  I think part of this mentality was due to the fact that I knew that I would never be able to have any techie gadgets since the school would never be able to afford it.  So, I powered through it, and would like to say I succeeded all the same.
Hence, I have felt that even though I'm sure certain modern tools could be very helpful, fun, and effective during lessons, I did not want my classroom to be another outlet for children to stare at screens all day.  I do believe that as a teacher you have to stay current and be aware of the tech tools out there that can be utilized, but I also believe that a student still needs to learn the traditional ways with pen and paper.  There is a necessary skill that cannot be taught with touchscreens.  Coordination, precision, and physical dexterity are skills that one can attain through the use of pen, paper, crayons, glue sticks, and other handy school supplies.  These skills should be not be overlooked just because they are not flashy or the latest fad.  They are just as imperative in the classroom as the latest and greatest math app on the students' iPad minis.

Sad but true.

The Difficulty of Certain Stages

Now, I do believe that a teacher cannot and should not stay in Stage 1 (Entry) for very long if at all.  I believe that it is pure ignorance if a teacher denies using any type of technology in their lessons.  That is just a blatant denial and rejection of these valuable tools to help connect them with their students and enrich their lesson plans.  I have especially learned by taking this current class how beneficial technological tools can be.  These techie tools can be used for multiple subjects and even for management of the classroom itself.  I think that it would be difficult for myself at least to stay within this initial stage since it just seems like a very base and rather ill-informed way of thinking.

I think that the process of the five stages of Technological Integration make sense.  I have seen it happen with other fellow teachers.  After they slowly learn and gather all these new technological tools that can be used to enhance their lessons and engage their students' attention, there comes a point where the entire class becomes a presentation or even a competition of how many apps or gadgets can be utilized within the school day.  I think one of the hardest stages to overcome and accept is the 5th stage: Innovation.  For a teacher who has such a plethora of gadgets up his sleeve at this point, it can only be just short of mental torture to actually have to pick and moderate how many techie tools they will allow themselves to use within their lessons.  Finding moderation and balance in anything is a challenge, and this is no exception.  However, when a teacher does achieve this stage and is able to properly focus on the curriculum versus the actual flashy tools to teach it, they prove to be the most effective and capable teachers they have ever been.   It is just difficult to get past the over obsessive or  "Appropriation" stage for some teachers.

My mentor teacher from last semester was in the fourth stage (Appropriation) of the process.  He told me that he was the head of the technology board within the school.  He had been pushing all the latest and greatest gadgets to be used in each classroom.  His defense was that his students should not be excluded the advantage of all these technological tools that the richer schools could easily provide.  Most of the students in the school came from low class families that could barely afford lunches for their children let alone an iPad.  However, he funded the money and provided each classroom with iPads for each student equipped with multiple apps for every possible subject you could imagine, Smartboards for each classroom, and iMacs for every teacher.  He stated that he wasn't even finished yet and was vying for some new tools to be donated to the school.  His efforts were quite admirable, but at the same time slightly obsessive.  As much as I learned and witnessed the beneficial uses of all the technology in the classroom, I also felt that the apps on the iPads were almost a substitute for the teacher, or even worse, a babysitter to keep the class quite and preoccupied while the teacher used his valuable teaching time to do other work.  To be honest, that is what I did fear when I first saw the iPads on each child's desk: "Are they even going to be pay attention in class now?"  Sometimes they did, and sometimes the iPads just proved to be too great of a temptation.  Children are easily distracted to begin with.  If you give them something shiny, noisy, and flashy, you can forget about the lesson being actually heard let alone comprehended.

My overall conclusion is that keeping up with technology in the classroom is absolutely necessary if one wants to stay connected with their students in this fast-paced world and remain effective in their teaching.  Also, these gadgets can be utilized in the classroom in more than multiple ways for any lesson a teacher may need to teach.  They can definitely provide a helping hand.  However, my only hope is that we do not lose sight of the importance of the traditional methods that also encourage important school and even life skills.  May we always remember the power of pencil and paper.  

    

Salutations! My name is Lexi Sweet. Welcome to my humble blog. I am originally from the sticks of New Hampshire where I was born and bred. I went to Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio for my Bachelors in Drama. I then taught at a private school in New Hampshire for two years as a Drama/ second grade teacher. It was then that I fell in love with teaching and with a man. It was not long after that I left that job, moved to Chicagoland to be nearer to him and found myself in the midst of job searching. I then discovered that I needed a license to teach in the wonderful state of Illinois whether it be a private or public school. I landed a pretty decent job with a medical group in their administrative department last year, but I knew that I did not want to be there forever. I knew that if I wanted to continue to be a teacher, I needed to get that confounded license. I decided to go back to school to attain my Masters in Elementary Education. I chose to attend Dominican University, and this is currently my second semester in the program. I am definitely excited to be here and am up for any challenges this class and program are willing to throw at me. In conclusion, I will list just some fun facts about me if you are in the least bit interested: If you are familiar with the Meyers-Briggs personality test, I am an ENFJ. Ironically, the titled characteristic of this personality is “Teacher.” I am a big Boston sports fan so Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots, and Celtics are my homies. Hate all you want, Midwest. As a hobby, I brew beer with my fiancé. I am a bit of a Potterhead, and I am definitely a Hufflepuff. Last but most certainly not least, I am getting married to my partner in crime on May 23, 2015. I hope you enjoy my future blog posts if you have not wanted to cause bodily harm to yourself by reading this one already.