Summary Post C4K October

C4K #3


The first student blog that I commented on this month was that of Silas. He, along with some of his classmates, made a video about Christopher Columbus. This was my comment:  Hi Silas! My name is Krystin Pavey and I am a student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama, located in Mobile, Alabama. I am studying to be an elementary teacher. I have thoroughly enjoyed your blog, Silas! You and your classmates are so talented. I can't wait to see more videos that you create. You can checkout my blog here.  Keep up the great work!


C4K #4


The blog I was assigned for C4k #4 was for a student named Goode. He was trying to convince us to take a trip to California to go to Six Flags. He was also very excited about the fact that he could now add pictures to his blog. This was my response: Hi! My name is Krystin Pavey and I’m a student at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. Your blog looks great! You are doing a great job adding images to your blog. I would love to go to California. I have been all over the country. I have also been to the Bahamas, Cancun, and the Cayman Islands! I love to travel!! My friends and I have taken a trip to the Six Flags in Atlanta, Georgia as well as the Six Flags in Dallas, Texas. I love roller coasters! Keep up the great work on your blog!


C4K #5


The blog that I was assigned to for the 5th Comments 4 Kids was that of Skye. She posted about new search engines that she had learned about in school. This was right after our assignment about Google Squared and Wolfram Alpha, so this was my post: Hi. My name is Krystin Pavey and I am an Elementary Education major at the University of South Alabama located in Mobile, Alabama. Your blog looks great! We had a project a few weeks ago about different ways to search for information on the web. We did a project using WolframAlpha and  Google Squared. You should check them out. Keep up the great work. 


Additional C4K Post

We had an assignment to comment on the blog of a high school student. Her post was very inspiring. This was my comment: Hi. My name is Krystin Pavey and I am a student in Dr. Strange's EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. I really enjoyed reading your post. It was very insightful. I love the you applied the quote “Life is a journey, not a destination” to education. I think it is very important for everyone to receive a quality education. I think that we, as Americans, often take for granted the opportunity we have to receive such an education. I can't wait for your next post. Keep up the great work!


C4K #6


The blog I was assigned for C4K #6 was that of Molly K. She wrote a great poem about soccer. This was my comment: Hi! My name is Krystin Pavey and I am an Elementary Education major at the University of South Alabama. What a great post! I love soccer. My younger brother and sister play soccer, so we are at the soccer field every Saturday morning! Keep up the good work!


C4K #7


The assignment for C4K #7 was the blog of Bobby A.. He posted about a project he did in math class using Oreo cookies. This was my response: Hi! My name is Krystin Pavey and I’m an Elementary Education major at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. Your blog looks great! I really like the Oreo project you guys did. How long did it take for the Oreo to dissolve? Keep up the good work!

Blog Assignment #10

An Open Letter To Educators


I really enjoyed this blog post by Morgan Bayda. I agree with what she has to say. The education system is still the same as it was 100 years ago. It reminded me of what Dr. Strange said at the beginning of the semester about sending your child to a doctor who still practiced medicine the same way they did 50 years ago. The rest of the world has advanced in technology in just about every aspect, except education. In the video by Dan Brown, he said that he dropped out of school because his schooling was interfering with his education. I don't think this was the best way to do things but he makes a good point. 


Don't Let Them Take Pencils Home 


The blog titled Tom Johnson's Adventures In Pencil Integration by John Spencer was the first blog I was assigned to for our Comments4Teachers. I found this blog post to be very interesting. People spend too much time dwelling on the problem, instead of trying to find a solution. As teachers we need to find solution instead of worrying about the issues. 


Two Questions That Can Change Your Life


What is your sentence? and Were you better today that you were yesterday? I thought this was a great video. I think it is very important to ask yourself if you were better today than you were yesterday. I think you should always strive to better yourself. So, my sentence would have to be: "Always strive to better yourself, while helping others to do the same." 

Additional Assignment #3

Sir Ken Robinson's Changing Paradigms

What do you think is the most important thing Sir Ken Robinson says in this presentation?
I think the most important thing Sir Ken Robinson says in this video is "How do we educate our children to take their place in the economies of the 21st century? Given that we can't anticipate what the economy will look like at the end of next week." This was such a powerful statement.

Is there anything you disagree with in this presentation? Actually, no! Everything that Sir Ken Robinson is saying is so true and he gives support to back all of his arguments.

How congruent are Sir Ken Robinson's positions with those which you are being taught in the College of Education. In other words, where is there agreement? Where is there disagreement? There is a lot of agreement in this video and what we are being taught in the College of Education. 

What can you do to address the issues Sir Robinson raises? I think that I could address these issues by continuing to be a life-long learner, so I could better help prepare children for the future. And help educate others on these issues.

What do you think of the presentation? If you had to do a presentation with others like this, what role on your team would you like most to play? I think this is a very clever way to do a presentation. It really keeps the person watching the video interested. If I were to do a video like this I would probably be the narrator or designer or the idea generator. I would definitely need some help in the artistic department. 

SmartBoard Instruction Project

Skype Interview Project

Blog Assignment #9

In this blog post by Mr. McClung titled "What I've Learned This Year", he provides a reflection of his first year of teaching. One of the things he learned was "how to read the crowd." You have to let your students drive your instruction, because after all, they are the ones learning. He also said that you have learn to be flexible and communicate. I know that communication is key and I feel that I am a pretty good communicator. However, I know that I will have to learn to be more flexible. He said you also have to be reasonable. I completely agree. Studies show that high teacher expectations yield higher achievement of students. But  you have to be reasonable and if a child does not meet your expectations, you needn't scold them and put them down. You need to encourage them to try again. Another point he made was to not be afraid of technology. I see this may be a problem for some. Out of 160 future teachers that are currently in EDM 310 there are more than a few that are choosing not to complete assignments. I wonder if this is because of their hesitation to learn the technology we are being asked to use. Mr. McClung's last point is to be a life-long learner. I think this is very important. In today's society, things are changing all the time. As we saw at the beginning of the semester in the 'Did You Know?' video, the top 10 in demand jobs today didn't exist in 2004. As teachers we have to be life-long learners if we are going to be preparing children for jobs that do not yet exist.  

Short Movie Project

Blog Assignment #8

This Is How We Dream


The world of technology is ever changing. As of right now, I do not think that I am ready to write with multimedia or to teach children to do so. But I am prepared to lean. One of the blogs I followed for Comments for Kids was a little boy named Silas. The videos and things this boy made amazed me. His group made animated videos about lessons they were currently doing in class.  I would love to be able to teach my future students to do this. When I was in elementary school the only time we used a computer was was to take an accelerated reading test, then in middle school we were required to take a typing class. Today the possibilities children have with computers were endless. I think that children are beginning to use more advanced technology at a younger age because they have continued exposure to it. But in order to teach children to use technology, teachers need to stay up to date. 
The Chipper Series and EDM for Dummies
I thought the video was funny. In the beginning of the video Chipper was complaining about not being able to get her work done "on time". She goes on to complain about Dr. Strange's teaching style and decides to drop out of school. After her many endeavors, none of which worked out, she decided to return to school. I think this video was trying to make the point that we need to be independent learners. No one is going to do everything for you. If you want to succeed at something you are going to have to put forth a little effort. 
I watched the EDM 310 for Dummies video at the beginning of the semester and I love how it was set up like an infomercial. I was hesitant at the start of this class and thought I needed an EDM for Dummies book. I feel like I have gotten more from this class though by having to "figure it out" on my own. 
Critiques of Smartboards
After reading Why Smartboards Are A Dumb Initiative and Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards I thought they pretty much made the same argument. If a teacher is not using the Smartboard or other interactive whiteboards properly, then it is just a waste of money. This blog is one I found that is in favor of Smartboards.  I think that the Smartboards are able to replace many other items in the classroom such as the regular whiteboard, the over-head projector, the television for watching videos, the VCR/DVD player, etc. The website Teachers Love Smartboards is a great resource to show what can be done with Smartboards. It has lesson plans and games an interactive lessons that can be done with a Smartboard.

Timetoast Instructional Timeline 9b

Additional Assignment #2

How Children Teach Themselves.

1. What do you think? If learners are motivated, can they teach themselves?

Yes they can! As seen in this video, when people are interested they can teach themselves.

2. If those motivated learners are kids, can they teach themselves?

If children are interested then learning can take place. As Mr. Mitra said in the video 

"Children will learn to do what they want to learn to do."

3. What conditions are necessary for kids to teach themselves? For anyone to teach him or

herself? 

I think the most important thing necessary for someone to teach themselves is interest.

Whether the interest is the subject matter or an outcome such as a grade, there has to be 

an interest.

4. What role do computers and internet access play in the process?

Computer and the internet play a huge role. If you look at the video, the information these 

children learned by using the internet, and they had never seen a computer before.

5. What role does motivation, a desire to learn?

I think children will be motivated and interested to learn if they are having fun. 

6. What roles do a problem, a question or multiple problems or questions play in the process?

The children are given a problem and can use the internet to find the answer.

7. How do you motivate someone to learn?

I think that in order to motivate learners they need to be interested.

8. How are you motivated to learn?

I am motivated to learn by grades. My grades are very important to me, and thats what 

intresets me. 

9. Can anyone who is not motivated to learn learn?

Yes, I thinks it's possible. I made A's in both Biology 1 and 2, and was in no way motivated 

to learn the material. 

10. Do you teach yourself? When? Why?

Yes I do. When there are things that I do not know how to do, in this class or others, I find

a way to teach myself the material. 

11. What role does a teacher (either answer generally or use a specific example) play in your

learning?

I think that teachers play a huge role, just as the "granny clouds" did to these children.

12. What is the most important idea, question or emotional response you take away with you

as a result of watching this video?

The most important thing I am taking away from this video is the fact children can do 

anything they put their minds to, even if it's not in their native language.

13. What other questions or issues are raised by this video that should be considered and

discussed by aspiring teachers?

I think that as teachers we need to understand the possibilities for children to be self 

learners, and we need to keep children interested in learning.

Blog Assignment #7

I thought Randy Pausch's video "The Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" was very inspiring. This man has left behind such an amazing legacy. It is a shame that this man died at such a young age. I was surprised to learn in the beginning that this man had almost 10 tumors in his liver and, at the time this video was made, only had approximately five months of healthy living left. 

The metaphor Professor Pausch used about the brick wall really stuck out to me. He said that "Brick walls are there for a reason. Brick walls are not there to keep us out, they are there to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop those people who do not want it badly enough." I thought this was great. We have so many things that we have to overcome in life, and for someone with only five months of healthy living left to have such a positive attitude, its makes me think about the negative attitude I have had toward some things in life. 

He had students in one of his classes at Carnegie Mellon University work in groups on a series of two week projects to produce virtual reality videos. He said that after the first two week project that he was absolutely amazed at the quality of video that these undergraduate students created in just two weeks. He said he had to consult with his mentor because he did not know how to respond. After speaking with his mentor, he went back to class Monday morning and told his students that the projects were "pretty good" but he knew they could do better. I think this was the best way to respond. If students can "wow you" right off the bat like that, then the best thing to do is set the bar as high as you can get it. Positive expectations are directly correlated to student achievement. The higher you set the bar, the more students will succeed.   

Another thing Professor Pausch said stood out to me. He said that if you "wait long enough, then people will surprise you." I think this is especially important for us to remember as future educators. Teachers often make a snap judgment about students. I think that if we keep this video in mind that it could help keep us from doing this with our students. I was a little hesitant to watch this video at first because it was so long. But ten minutes into the video I couldn't turn away. This was an awesome video and I hope that more people have a chance to view it.

Summary Post C4T #2

For the past couple of weeks I have been following the blog of Daneah Galloway. The first blog I commented on was titled "Magic Wand." This post was about the top 21 things that have become obsolete in the past decade. I was actually surprised when I heard the list. These things that have become obsolete were things that we relied so heavily on just a few years ago. Now these things are barely heard of anymore. 

Mrs. Galloway had not posted anything new since May, so I went back and commented on one of her older posts. The post was titled "Heavy Burdens," and was about the burden she sometimes feels when writing her blog. She wrote "I realized this was my first experience with meeting someone who knew about me because of my blog before I knew them. It was…strange. Not bad, but definitely different. It made me realize that what I put here on this blog is really representing me. This doesn’t mean that I didn’t consider that fact before, but it just didn’t mean as much as it does now. This is going to be, for some, their first impression of who I am. This is huge, major really. Now when I blog, I am feeling a heavier burden than before-which is not necessarily a bad thing." This really put into perspective what Dr. Strange means when he says that we are leaving "a permanent trail of your intellectual journey." 

PLN Progress Report

I have decided to create my PLN on Symbaloo. I found this site extremely easy to use. I have started putting some things on my PLN that I look at often. I have South Alabama's homepage, PAWS, USA online, and South Alabama Athletics. I also have links to LSU Sports, New Orleans Saints, my bank, all email accounts, as well as Edutopia, and other education websites. I can't wait to further develop my PLN. I think it will be a great resource for networking as a teacher.

Blog Assignment #6

The Networked Student


I think that the way this video was presented was very creative. The method used was a great way to keep someone's attention. The information in this video reminded me about what we are doing in EDM 310. I think as a teacher, staying connected with others in our profession from around the world is important. 


I think that being a networked student can be a great thing. The internet is another great resource for students to use in addition to books. Students can get information from many different sources instead of just relying on the teacher to tell them what to read. Being the teacher of a networked student would probably make things easier, if you were the teacher of a middle or high school student. As a future elementary teacher, I think this may be a little more difficult. 


A 7th Graders Personal Learning Environment


I was extremely impressed that this PLE was created by a 7th grader. I just goes to show that this could be done by anyone. This girl's PLE is a lot more advanced than my PLN at the moment. I think this student has a great advantage by learning to use these tools at such a young age. I feel like I need to play catch up!


The Machine is Changing Us


The media and the world are changing! In this video by Mr. Wesch talks about the impact the media has on our culture. YouTube has been a great factor in this change. People upload videos of themselves to YouTube. In these videos people are expressing themselves in ways they would not be able to otherwise, and these videos are able to be seen all over the world. People rely so much on technology these days. Just like with Mr. Wesch's reference to American Idol, YouTube has just become another way for people to make themselves famous.

Summary Post C4K September

I commented on a student in Mr. Chamberlain's class named Andrew. In reading his about me post, I found that we had a lot in common. We both have large families; and Andrew and I both feel that our families are the most important things to us. Twins also run in our families; Andrew is a twin, and my little brother and sister are twins. In Andrew's manifesto post, he talked about how important respect was. He said that he was going to do everything to show respect to his teachers. He also said he was going to work and study hard so he could get a 100. I told him that showing respect for yourself and other was sure to help him succeed. I encouraged him to continue to work hard. I am sure with his attitude he will be successful.