Blog Post #13

E-Media Fast

I did it! I successfully went without my iPhone, iPad, tv, and computer for 24 hours. Was it easy? Absolutely not! The only thing that helped me was that I had plenty of activities to keep me busy. I chose to start it at 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning so that I could check my e-mail and such before it started. I have two little girls that refuse to sleep in, so I'm always up around 6:30 (or earlier) on Saturday and Sunday mornings. We had their ballet class at 10:45 and then I had to be at a wedding at 2:00 and I didn't get home from that until around 9, and I was EXHAUSTED so I went straight to bed. I caught myself during the reception wanting my phone to take pictures and such but I didn't have possession of it, I left it at my parents house so that I would not be able to access it. I understand now, how hard it is for kids to come into a classroom with no technology and think they are in the dark ages. It is such a part of our everyday lives, and the children of today know nothing different. It was a weird feeling, and I'm glad it was only 24 hours because much more than that and I would have caved! The only other time I can remember being without communications was during Hurricane Katrina and my phone wasn't working for maybe 6 or 7 hours and I thought the world was ending!

Project #15

Progress Report on Final Project

Our group has met, and we've been communicating through text & Facebook. We have some ideas but nothing in concrete just yet! All we know is that it is going to be worth watching and very informational! I can't wait :)

Blog Post #12

The blog post assignment that I would choose for EDM310 would be to go on pinterest.com and explore all the educational resources and ideas that are being shared, comment on someone's post and share what you chose, why you chose it, and how it could help you in your own classroom.

Through pinterest, I stumbled upon a teacher's blog that has many great tools that I would like to use for my classroom. Please go check it out! http://teacheristatales.blogspot.com This is just one of the many blogs that I found while on pinterest.

Project #14

This is my Skype interview with Mr. Peter H. Reynolds, the author of "The Dot" and many other children's books.  It was a pleasure to speak with him and I hope I will have the opportunity to speak with him again in the future.

Blog Post #11

Ms. Cassidy

I really enjoyed Ms. Cassidy's interview. I especially liked her approach with center time for blogging and using Skype to teach her class by collaborating with other children and students from afar. I think this gives kids a confidence and a way to think outside the box more so than what I did when I was in elementary school. I hate to say this, but this is very important in our region. The southeast is notorious for being behind, close minded, and stuck in the past, this kind of teaching would be most beneficial to be able to start a change for the better. This improves writing & reading skills, and at the same time gives meaningful insight to how cultures can differ in real time through Skype. That is moving! It is so much easier to teach something and learn from it, rather from a textbook, when you can see it! Just like when she showed the snow, that could have been a good example for a geography class for latitude and season changes to make kids understand where that is on the map and the climate that particular place has. The possibilities are endless! I am excited to teach and use these tools in my classroom, I want to make a difference and I think that blogging, podcasts, and Skype are going to be the ones I start off with. Depending upon my grade level, the first thing that will be taught is internet safety and where to go and not to go. Like Ms. Cassidy said, with older kids you would have to go into much more detail than with the little ones.