Final report on PLN

I used Symbaloo as my PLN, and since my last report, I have added 13 additional "tiles". It is hard to keep up with all the sites I come across throughout the semester and Symbaloo is a great place to save them so I can refer to them whenever I want. I use this to access my blog and the class blog, finding lesson plans, watching TED videos, pinterest, google docs and sites, and many more! I have also saved sites that will allow me to create activities and test for my future students, along with interactive classroom games. I can honestly say this PLN is one I will be using from now on, and carrying on to my Teaching career.

Blog Post #14

I know that the academics portion of school is by-far the most important, but me being a very creative person with a very large imagination, I would have liked to express my creativity with a non-academic activity. Since I will be an Elementary teacher, there will be a few programs/shows that my students will put on for parents. I think a good assignment for we EDM students would have been to plan a non-academic activity for students. For example, if you are secondary, you could direct a Talent Show with a tempting prize such as an iPad.You could also have the students reenact a comedy or a funny movie that is popular among their age. Something my highschool did was have us dress as waiters and serve the staff and family members dinner while speaking in our favorite accent, whoever kept character the best, received an iPod (this was not for a "Drama" class, it was assigned to anyone who wanted to do it in the Sophomore class).

Several students participated and it was a fun activity that made students want to come to school to practice and get ready for it throughout the week. If you are an Elementary major, you could arrange a Christmas play that steers away from the traditional religious "baby Jesus" theme, and take on something more modern and accepted. Such as, the Grinch, or Mr. and Mrs. Clause with Elves. In one of the classes I am observing, My mentor teacher put together a "Fairy-Tale" program. In this program, the students acted out several different fairy tales. They dressed up, sang, and acted out the most popular fairy tale stories with their families as an audience. Every day for about 20 minutes before lunch they rehearsed for about two weeks, so it did not take up much academic time. This assignment allowed the students to take a little "brain break" every day and have some fun. So, like I said, EDM students could have created their own program/activity for the student to do that would usually require and audience. This program could help students with personal skills such as their confidence and social skills. An assignment like this would also help student get along better because they would be working together in a less stressful environment.

Here is my Program: My students will put on a "musical". They will dress up and sing the most popular songs from the 70's-80's that would be relevant to their parents. I would have my little boys come out in leather jackets and sing a popular Aerosmith song and my girls come out singing a Cindy Lauper song; While of course, staying cute! They would be all dressed up in the "styles" from that generation and keep parents laughing with the mixture of all the classics. This would allow the student to "let loose" a little, and have some fun, while making their parents proud! They would love to know that the songs they are performing are recognized by their family members. Being a creative person, I would love to put something like this together.I know this is not required by teachers but I believe that if you want to be an educator, you enjoy kids, and should want to do more than what your job title requires so that you can become the best teacher you can be!

C4K November Summary

The first post I read was by a boy named Isiah from Pt England. He wrote a descriptive story about walking through the woods hearing noises. In the story he showed fear and at the end he discovers that the sound was an Owl the whole time.Here is my comment: Hi, Isiah! My name is Miriah Grantham and I am a student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I loved reading your blog because I love action! Your story was very suspenseful, and very entertaining. I love how descriptive you were because it allowed me to make a movie in my head and really imagine what was going on! Make sure you don't capitalize words that do not need to be capitalized throughout the story, other than that, Greta job, I enjoyed it :) granthammiriahedm310.blogspot.com

My new blog post assignment was actually a video by a little girl named Skye. She tells us about Big Bird and how she loves to hug him. Here is my comment: Hey Skye! Great job with your reading! I am in a class called EDM 310 where we have to create blogs just like you and your classmates. I love big bird so I am glad you read about him. Keep up the good work, Skye! granthammiriahedm310.blogspot.com

C4T #4 Summary

I was assigned Tom Schimmer for my C4T's, and I really enjoyed several of his posts. The first post was about Tom starting a new Facebook account. He said his goal was to have yet another place where he could connect with other educators around the world. He explained that he would still be using Twitter for shorter posts, and his blog for the longer ones,but his Facebook account would be a "middle ground". Then he tells us how to find him on all of his social networks.

Here is my comment: Hello, my name is Miriah Grantham and I am a student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I now follow your blog, and I will be sure to add your Twitter and Facebook accounts as well. EDM310 is based on the use of Technology, we had to make several PBL accounts and we do weekly assignments on our blogs. (granthammiriahedm310.blogspot.com). I really like how you use these accounts to connect with other educators! I still haven't mastered Twitter, but I am a big Facebook user and I actually enjoy blogging now. Thanks for expanding your knowledge through Facebook.



The next post I read was about the purpose of homework. He asked questions like, should it be assigned, how much is too much, and how much is too little. His all-around reason for posting this was to ask if homework was the "means or the end". Meaning should it just be used as practice, or used as an event itself to individual contribute to a report grade. Tom further discussed this topic at the Pearson-ATI’s 20th Annual Summer Conference on July 8-10 2013.

Here is my comment: Hello, My name is Miriah Grantham and I am a student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I really enjoyed reading this post, you made some very valid points. I think I will use homework as a form of practice. I will be teaching Elementary students, so I think i will incorporate it into my weekly parent letters. I will send home a packet every week that explains the work that their students would be learning that week with some example problems/ questions that they can answer. The parents could check their understanding or insure that they practice if they need to improve their grade. Thanks for posting! granthammiriahedm310@blogspot.com

Blog Post #13

Miriah'sPost
On the list of Sir Ken Robinson’s favorite TED talks is a video called Teaching one child at a time by Shukla Bose. In this video, she tells how she started the Parikrma Humanity Foundation from her kitchen table. This is a program that helps the “slums” of India by focusing on teaching one student at a time. She explains that one of the schools she went to was a school that held 165 students and no roof on the building.

Her dream, as she says, is for children to live to be educated and to live peacefully in the “kaotic” globalized world. She not only organized the schools that these children now had access to, but she chose a very difficult curriculum for them as well; which made her receive many crazy looks from outsiders. She explains that the students did more than adapt to this curriculum but excelled with it. Shukla Bose is a very inspiring woman. She shows us that every student has potential, they just need the right materials to succeed; and that “one student at a time” makes a difference. Like she says, “Educating the poor is more than just a numbers game.” It is people like this that should inspire educators around the world every day.


Michelle's Post
Number Eight on Sir Ken Robinson’s list of favorite TED Talks is by a man named Shane Koyczan called “To This Day ... for the bullied and beautiful”. Shane is a poet as he delivers his speech to a full house. He talks about his childhood and how he tried to become himself. As a child he “hid his heart under the bed because his mother told if he wasn’t careful with it, someone would break it.” He claims we have to define ourselves at such an early age now. He continues telling about aspiring moments from his past. He talks about everything children have to deal with:

bullies, finding yourself, and staying true to yourself. As future teachers, we need to remember what it was like for us to be the child. Shane made me remember that every child has the same problems. They want to define themselves. As a teacher, I will give my students room to grow and become the people of the future they deserve to be. Children are often put down by adults, because they think their problems trivial. Remember being that kid that got called names? Bullied? This video taught me to remember that for my future students. If you haven’t watched this, I would highly suggest it. It’s a lyrical reminder of childhood and why we as teachers need to pay attention to every child.


Demetrius' Post
The video Kakenya Ntaiya: A Girl Who Demanded School was very touching. Kakenya is a woman from Kenya that wanted to make a change. She refused to keep the tradition and be married at the age of 12. Kakenya had dreams of becoming a teacher. Unfortunately, Kakeya had to undergo female circumcision as a compromise for her father to let her continue going to school at the age of 12. This was not at all an easy thing to do, but she was very determined to be a teacher. She did everything she could to get to America in order to attend college. The knowledge that Kakenya acquired when reaching America devastated her, and she decided to do something about it.

After Kakenya graduated she went back to Kenya and started an all-girls school. This helped changed their lives for the better. We can learn a lot from this video. One thing we can learn is that it only takes one person to stand up for what they truly believe in to make a difference. Kakenya knew nothing about being a teacher, besides the fact that it looked easy, when she was young. The knowledge that she gained empowered her to do great things. Knowledge should make everyone want to make a difference. This video showed us that it only takes one person to create an opposite path that will help change the lives of many. You may start off with a very small dream, like becoming a teacher, and along the way help others reach dreams that you couldn't imagine.

Project #12b SmartBoard Lesson Plan

Blog Post #12

Miriah's Post
How to Escape Education's Death Valley is a hysterical but informative speech by Ken Robinson, a man who moved to America twelve years before. He tells us that whoever thought of the title "No child left behind" truly understood irony, because it's leaving millions of children behind. He says that America spends enough money and enough resources, but it is all going in the wrong direction. He believes the problem is not enough educators are focusing on Teaching and Learning but, instead, testing. He expressed that education is not a mechanical system, it's a human system; it's about people, and there are condition in which people thrive. He then clarifies why "Death Valley" is in the title by explaining that it is a place where nothing grows because it doesn't rain. Meaning that if we do not provide children with appropriate teaching climates, they will not thrive for success. He tells us that we must do these three things in the education system: We must individualize teaching and learning, we must attribute a high status to the teaching profession, and see Professional Development as an investment, not a cost, and we must make schools responsible and autonomous to get the job done. Centralized decision making is not the way. He concludes by saying that if we all were encouraged to be moved, it would start a revolution, and that is what we need. This man made some valid points about the education system.He made me believe that I can truly make a difference as a future teacher. It is a big process, teaching and learning; it relies on many aspects. If we can provide these aspects to schools, we are setting students up for success, which will lead to a “revolution”.

Michelle's Post
In Ken Robinson’s TED Talk, How Schools Kill Creativity, he discusses how education is diminishing children’s creativity. He starts the talk with stories of how education is meant to prepare children for the future. He considers creativity to be just as important as literature in education. I am going to second him on this. Teachers spend so much time on literature and language arts but very little on evolving a child’s creativity. Creativity is one of the most extraordinary abilities we as humans have. I loved when Sir Ken said that children are born creative, but they grow out of it. They are taught out of it. The arts are no longer taught in elementary school like they are in secondary schools. Why is that? While watching this, I remembered Dr. Vitulli’s arts class. She stressed the importance of incorporating the arts in your lessons. Many teachers don’t do this. Teachers and parents tell the students to not do art or music, because they won’t be either as adults. Creativity and intelligence go hand in hand. So why not teach it? If you incorporate it into your lesson, it won’t take you any longer to teach it. It may also help students remember it easier that just a boring lecture and demonstration.

Demitrius' Post
The video Ken Robinson: Changing Education Paradigms starts off by telling us about the two reasons countries are reforming public education. One reason is economic, which poses the question: “How do we educate our children to take their place in the economies of the 21st Century?” The second reason is cultural, which poses the question: “How do we educate our children so they can have a sense of cultural identity so that we can pass on the cultural genes of our communities while being part of globalization?” Mr. Robinson also reinforces the fact that the school systems are still trying to teach students the same as the students were taught in the past. This is unacceptable, and we must change that if we truly want to educate our children. He also tells us about how students are going one way in the school system and they really should be headed in the other direction (change the paradigm). I learned from Mr. Robinson that every student has the means to be a “genius”, unfortunately that slowly fades away due to the school systems of today. We must change this quickly. In school, we are taught that we should not collaborate on the majority of our work, but in reality, the best learning is done collaboratively. This video taught me to look at school systems differently. We tell students to attend school, go to college and get a degree. In todays society, that is no longer enough to get and keep a well paying job. I learned that things must change if we truly want our upcoming students to be educated and obtain a good job.

Project 15

Teacher Interview

How to use a SmartBoard

Blog Post #11

In Little Kids....Big Potential, Mrs. Cassidy's students tell us about the ways hey use technology in their classroom. They talk about writing in their blogs, and how it makes them better writers. They were so excited to receive comments from their family, and even we EDM310 students. I felt so proud to be involved in helping these students! They also talk about the ways they surf the web, and how they do it safely. They even use skype to video chat with other classes and experts, which I thought was a great idea. This video gave me a lot of ideas for my future classroom.

I think all of her techniques have potential to be used in my classroom. First of all it depends on what resources I'm given. Hopefully by the time I have my own classroom, each of my students will have an iPad. I thought it was interesting that Dr. Strange brought up the students' parents in the interview and what they thought about their students not only being on the internet, but their pictures and work being posted as well.I loved Ms. Cassidy's response though: she only uses first names and she doesn't post their pictures with their names.

I really like how she said, "For every body there's a different entry point and it's good to play off what you're interested in". This is a great statement for teachers because they can get these students started with whatever they want to enforce in their classrooms, for example, if they want their students to be better writers, they can create blogs. When the interview is led by the students, she talks about Facebook, which has never really been considered a great tool for educational purposes. However, Mrs. Cassidy says she believes it could be, as do I. I actually have Facebook groups for several of my classes where students can post questions that can be answered by the teacher or other students, which is very helpful.

I have to say that watching this video helped me realize how important some of these PLN's are, even after Dr. Strange has Emphasized them so much. I picked up some great ideas and got a lot of my questions answered.

C4K October Summary

I read 4 very interesting blogs this month! The first post I read was This book is awesome, by Mara. In this post, she eagerly explains the book she is reading and her feelings about it. She then says that she will keep her blog viewers posted on what happens next.
Here is my comment
Mara, I am also learning how to become a teacher like Jacquelyne. I go to the University of South Alabama and I am in a class called EDM 310. This book does sound very interesting, and I am glad you like it. It is always exciting to come across an “eager reader”! Keep up the good work! You can see my blog here: http://granthammiriahedm310.blogspot.com/

The next post was fungus,lichen and moss. He said, "fungus is a type decompose r that breaks down dead thing lichen is a type of type of food that animals eat such as raindeer and caribou moss is a type of agae that grows on trees breaks down stuff".
Here is my comment
Hello, my name is Miriah Grantham and I am a student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Al. This is very interesting. I didn’t know what lichen was, so thanks for telling me! Great blog :) You can look at mine —> http://granthammiriahedm310.blogspot.com/

The next post was Running to the End by Jonti. He gives a very descriptive explaination of a man running a race. He describes the mud splashing, the feeling of him being tired, and the look of all the contestants.
Here is my comment
Jonti, This is a great story! I am in a class right now that requires me to read different blog posts, and I am really glad i got to read yours. Your story had meaning to me. I picked up the motto of "Never give up", because I see that you never did. You gave great visual clues to make your audience be able to imagine what was going on, and I did. Keep up the good work, Jonti!

The next post was Out of My mind by Ashan. Here is what he said, "The lessons you could learn from out of my mind are what is cerebral palsy, how someone with cerebral palsy lives.mellody probably also has a lot of questions to ask people without cerebral palsy because she want know how is it like to move around alot.one of the biggest lessons you could learn is that everybody is the same no matter what.one of my questions that I have is how can mellody survive for that long with her major condition".
Here is my comment
Ashan, My name is Miriah Grantham and I am a student in EDM30 at the University of South Alabama. First of all, interesting topic! I like how you brought up Cerebral Palsy, because that is a terrible disease that should be addressed. I would also be interested to know how they move around. One sentence I LOVED was, “one of the biggest lessons you could learn is that everybody is the same no matter what”. I wish everyone thought like this! Make sure you listen to what your teacher has to say, she will help you become the best blogger you can be! Great Post, Ashan! You can go see my blog here granthammiriahedm310.blogspot.com

C4T #3

For my C4T's, I was assigned a blog titled, Stump the Teacher. I really enjoyed the posts on this blog because they kept me interested. I actually found myself reading a few more posts that I was not required to read because I enjoyed them so much. The first pot I read was called The "real World". This was about educators try to prepare students for what they will be faced with in the real world. He explains that when he grew up, the only minority was his adopted sister becuase he lived in such a small town where "everybody knew your name, your business and your dog’s name…and your dog’s business too". He them says that once he became an educator, he noticed all these kids that were suffering through things they he could have never imagined. They were all in pain from death, divorce, poverty and may other tragedies. He sums up by saying he will no longer try to prepare his kids for the "real world", because it does not exist, but instead, he would help them learn to navigate the world they are living in now.
Here is my comment
Hello, My name is Miriah Grantham and I am a student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Al. Just a few thoughts concerning you post. I believe the "real world" is different from person to person. Some people may go through life rather blessed, having everything they ever wanted with nothing MAJORLY wrong happening to them. Others on the other hand, may have it rough. whether it's a death, a divorce, a fight... anything. I do agree with you that you never know what is going on behind the "smiling face", that's why i believe that it is important to develop a student-teacher relationship, which is what it seems like you do. I really enjoyed this post. Although this particular post was the one i was "assigned", i found myself reading some of your previous posts as well. You are very interesting and put things in a great perspective. I will be summarizing your post on my blog.Thank you! http://granthammiriahedm310.blogspot.com

The next post, "I used to think", was a series of situations where he explains what he used to think compared to what he realized now. For example, he says, "I used to think the more work I piled on a kid the more they would learn. Now I realize the more valuable the work I ask kids to do the more they will learn." He goes on with a list of 13 of these statements.
Here is my comment
Hello, My name is Miriah Grantham and I am in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I love your posts because I feel like I can always relate to them. I love this one in particular because it shows you how much the education system is progressing. I have noticed the changed you were speaking of whenever you said, "I used to think....now i realize....". It's amazing how when I was in school, it was the first way and now that I am taking these education classes, the second part of each statement is being enforced. I am so happy with your point of view with these situations and if every teacher thought like this, we would have a world FULL of wonderful educators! Great Post! granthammiriahedm310.blogspot.com