Great Articles to Read!!!

I really enjoyed reading the article below. In this article, the third grade teachers at Charles R. Drew Charter School wanted to see if their students could figure out a problem within their community that they could solve using heat, since it was a huge snowstorm in Atlanta, GA last year. The teachers collaborated in planning each Project-Based Learning unit to come up with one driving question across the grade level, and I think the students worked extremely hard to come up with an answer. Some of the students decided to create a safety kit that would help people stranded in the snowstorm. I was very impressed!

When I read this article, I immediately begin to think back to the snowstorm that we had last year in Jacksonville. I have never seen anything like it. It was crazy! Although I was safe in my dorm, my heart went out to the people who couldn’t make it home to their families. I feel like most people (including myself) never really think about how important it is to be prepared for the smallest things in life. 

http://www.edutopia.org/practice/steam-project-based-learning-real-solutions-driving-questions

The article below provided very good information about different apps to support diverse learners in the classroom. Not only are the apps beneficial towards diverse learners in the classroom, but they are beneficial towards teachers and parents. I firmly believe that all of these apps are beneficial to me in some kind of way, and they can be beneficial to you. Although all of the apps are great, EpicWin and Duolingo stood out to me the most.

EpicWin-When I first read about this app, I immediately related it to school. When I have a lot of assignments that I need to complete, I will write me a list. Every time I finish an assignment that I included on the list, I will mark it out. It is such a great feeling to mark out assignments that I have completed. It makes me feel like that I am making progress. This app is amazing!

Duolingo- this app is the best new way to learn a language. I actually just downloaded this app because I have always wanted to learn a new language. The app is free and very easy to use!

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/apps-support-diverse-learners-classroom-chester-goad

The article below have provided amazing 14 virtual tools for math to use in the classroom. Growing up, math was my least favorite subject. I am not sure if it was the teacher or I, but I didn’t understand math nor did I like math until fourth grade. My fourth grade teacher made math fun, and most importantly, she made it understandable for me. I wish these amazing apps that are in the article below were available when I was in elementary school. Children in today’s society don’t understand how lucky they areJ. Every assignment that I did in math required only pencil and paper. Now, students can do math on their tablets and iPad's, such as using a protractor, geoboard, ruler, etc.  Also, students have a variety of apps to help them practice on whatever math concept they are learning in class. It amazes me of how things have changed!

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/11-virtual-tools-math-classroom-monica-burns

Wow! The article below gave me a lot of important information that I need to consider when I get my future classroom. This article talks about managing a technologically equipped classroom. There are two things that stood out to me in this article. The first thing is always having a plan b when it comes to integrating technology into a lesson. My instructors always tell my teacher candidate friends and me to make sure we have a plan b ready to go. Using technology in the classroom, I never know what may happen at the last minute. Therefore, I always have something as back up to keep the lesson on task at all times. The second thing is always using technology in the classroom as a purpose (meaning do not give iPad’s to students just to keep them quiet or just for fun).

This article was very interesting!  I love reading articles like this! 

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/classroom-management-tech-equipped-classroom-andrew-marcinek 

Digital Portfolio

Wow! I am very impressed about what I have researched about digital portfolio. Digital portfolio is a computer-based collection of student performance in the classroom over time. Students can share their learning with the world. During my research about digital portfolio, it reminded me of something SIMILAR to what the College of Education Program at JSU requires of the teacher candidates at the end of each semester.  We have a portfolio through LiveText. At the end of the semester, we are required to answer a few questions that are given to us that demonstrate progress over time and build a complete record of our learning (student reflections).

 I have found so many interesting things about digital portfolio. I know I will use it in my future classroom! My 21^st century teacher, Mrs. Weathers, have provided resources to help my teacher candidate friends and I better understand what digital portfolio is and how we can incorporate it into our own classroom. My favorite resource is http://web.seesaw.me/. Seesaw empowers students of any age to independently document what they are learning at school. I have created an account with Seesaw for the futureJ.

There are four interesting facts that stood out to me about digital portfolio using Seesaw:

• Digital portfolio is way to store student’s efforts. For example, students use online tools to store images, videos, class work, links, and PDFs that can show both their physical and electronic work.
•   Digital portfolio is accessible to parents. The parents can ONLY see their child’s work in the classroom.
•   Digital portfolio is organized and available to teachers from any device, such as iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac, and PC. I believe teachers love it just as much as students because it allows them to transition away from transitional paper.  
• Student work must be approved by the teacher.

Below I have provided four links to resources about digital portfolio (don't forget http://web.seesaw.me/  is a resource, too):

• http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2014/03/5-good-options-for-creating-digital.html#.Vs-uIfkrLIU
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlw-tUKvnNc
• http://www.edutopia.org/blog/digital-portfolios-art-of-reflection-beth-holland
• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-vander-ark/every-student-should-have_b_7649914.html

Whole Brain Teaching and Nearpod in the Classroom

This is my second semester in the College of Education at Jacksonville State University. So far this semester is going great. Of course, I am busy, busy, and more busy because this semester, which is Literacy Block, requires a lot more work than ECE Block. However, that is apart of becoming a successful teacher...right? All teachers have to put in that extra work to make sure that their students are receiving the best education possible; therefore, I consider it as something worth it. Although I have all new teachers in Literacy Block, I still have Mrs. Weathers on Thursday nights for EED 409. I am so excited to have her again and I will tell you why.

 At the beginning of the semester, she gave my teacher candidates friends and I a list of topics to research information about instruction in the classroom.  Once we did our research, we had to create a presentation and present that information to the class. Tonight, two of the teacher candidates did their presentation and they both did an awesome job. They shared a lot of information with us about  Whole Brain Teaching and Nearpod. After receiving interesting information about the two, I can assure you that I will be using both in my lessons and in my future classroom.

 Randolph James presented Whole Brain Teaching (WBT). Whole Brain Teaching is a consistent and predictable way to both manage and instruct students in the classroom. It relies on high motivation and engagement among teacher and students. According to Randolph, Whole Brain Teaching is a powerful tool for classroom management that can be used for Grade School to higher education. My teacher from last semester, Dr. Thornburg, explained to us that classroom management starts the very first day that the students enter  the classroom. A teacher cannot start classroom management in the middle of the school year and expect for the students to behave. IT SHOULD ALWAYS START THE VERY FIRST DAY! Below I have shared a video with you about what Whole Brain Teaching looks like in a classroom.

I believe that the goal of Whole Brain Teaching is to create a peaceful and engaging classroom.

JaQuetta Thomas (JT) presented Nearpod. Nearpod is a interactive presentation tool for teachers to engage students with interactive lessons and assessments in the classroom. The interested part about Nearpod is that the students can have access to their own device, and only the teacher has controlled of what the students do next, meaning that it is up to the teacher to move the class through the presentation and let them interact with the media as they go (which is a good  because it can prevent students from moving ahead and not paying attention to what the teacher is saying in class).  According to JT, it is accessible to different devices and it's such a powerful application because it does many different things, such as question/ answer polling, surveys, videos, and drawings. Nearpod is very effective in the classroom. Make sure you do more research about it. I hope that you find it beneficial to use in the classroom like I did. :) Below I have shared a video with you about what Nearpod looks like in a classroom.

iPads for Teaching and Learning

May this day and forever be filled with love, peace, joy, and happiness for you and your family!

I am so behind on updating my blog due to school. BUSY, BUSY, BUSY and more BUSY! However,  I know that it will be all worth it in the end because I have the best instructors in the world. I am a firm believer that they are preparing my classmates and I for our future students in the classroom. I have a little free time today while my family is preparing Thanksgiving dinner. I should be preparing, too, but for some reason no one likes my cooking. Please, don't ask me why because I think my cooking is the absolute best! BUT anyway :-), I have decided to update and give my readers information about some of the things that has been going on in my classes. This semester is almost over! Wow, I can't believe it! I think this has been the most challenging semesters thus far. A lot has happened, but I would't change it for nothing in the world because it has made me stronger! I will always remember that God gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers.

There is ALWAYS something to be thankful for....ALWAYS!!! Find the time to stop and think of the people who makes a difference in your life and thank them! I wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your family, relax, smile, and eat until your stuffed like a turkey (I know that I am)!!!! :-)